AUTOBIOGRAPHY 


Personal  Recollections 


TWENTY -SIX    YEARS'  EXPERIENCE  AS  A 
PUBLIC   SPEAKER. 


ILLUSTRATED   BY  GEORGE  CRUIKSHANK   AND  OTHERS. 


PUBLISHED    BY 

BILL,   NICHOLS  &  CO.,   SPRINGFIELD,   MASS. 

BILL   &   HERON,   CHICAGO,   ILLINOIS. 

H.  C.  JOHNSON,  PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 

1870. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1870,  by 

JOHN  B.  GOUGH, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of 

Massachusetts. 


SAMUEL   BOWLES   AND   COMPANY, 

PRINTERS,   ELECTROTYPERS,  AND  BINDERS, 

SPRINGFIELD,  MASS. 


mo  MID 

<#         -   tg> 

IN 

AMERICA    AND    GREAT    BRITAIN, 

WHOSE    SYMPATHY,    CONFIDENCE,    AND    APPROVAL,    HAVE    ENCOURAGES, 
INSPIRED,    AND    CHEERED    ME    THROUGH    THE    EXPERI- 
ENCES   OF    SO    MANY    EVENTFUL    YEARS, 


IS    AUTOBIOGRAPHY,     AND    PERSONAL     RECOLLECTIONS, 
WITH    GRATITUDE   AND   AFFECTION. 

JOHN  B.  GOUGIL 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE. 

PORTRAIT  OF  MR.  GOUGH, FRONTISPIECE. 

SANDGATE,  MR.  GOUGH'S  NATIVE  PL  AC  2, 25 

MR.  GOUGH'S  BIRTHPLACE, 49 

VIEW  OF  MR.  GOUGH'S  RESIDENCE, 251 

AN  EXTRAORDINARY   SCENE  AT   SADLERS  WELLS  THEATER,   .  353 

I 

FESTIVAL  OF  THK   LONDON   TEMPERANCE  LEAGUE,  AT   HART- 
WELL  HOUSE, .' 361 

"  HURRA  FOR  OUR  GLORIOUS  RIGHTS  AND  PRIVILEGES,"    .    .  475 
PROCESSION  OF  THE  LONDON  TEMPERANCE  LEAGUE,  IN  LIN- 

COLN's-lNN-FlELDS, 513 

MR.  GOUGH'S  LIBRARY,  .    .    .    ; .529 


INTRODUCTION. 


TWENTY-FIVE  years  ago  I  prepared  and  published  a  little 
work  entitled  "AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH,"  dedi- 
cated to  JESSE  W.  GOODRICH  of  Worcester,  whose  kindness 
cheered  and  supported  me  , 

"  When  days  were  dark  and  friends  were  few ; " 

and  to  MOSES  GRANT  of  Boston,  of  whom  it  may  with  truth 

be  said  that 

"  To  relieve  the  wretched  was  his  pride ; " — 

with  the  following  introduction  : 

"  It  may  be  asked  by  many  individuals  whose  eyes  will  fall 
on  these  pages,  why  I  thought  it  requisite  to  add  one  to  the 
already  numerous  autobiographies  extant?  I  answer,  that 
justice  to  myself,  in  some  measure,  demands  an  explicit  state- 
ment of  the  principal  incidents  in  an  hitherto  eventful  life ; 
those  incidents,  or  at  least  many  of  them,  having,  in  frequent 

* 

instances,  been  erroneously  described.  Besides  this,  many 
who  have  heard  my  verbal  narrations,  have  intimated  a  de- 
sire to  become  more  fully  acquainted  with  a  career,  which, 
although  it  has  extended  but  little  beyond  a  quarter  of  a 
century,  has  been  fruitful  of  adventure.  To  gratify  others, 


vi  INTRODUCTION. 

rather  than  myself,  has  been  my  object  in  reducing  to  a  per- 
manent form  my  somewhat  eventful  history.  I  make  no  pre- 
tensions to  literary  merit,  and  trust  this  candid  avowal  will 
disarm  criticism.  Mine  is,  indeed,  a 

'  Short  and  simple  annal  of  the  poor;' 

and  if  the  perusal  of  these  pages  should  cheer  some  fainting 
wanderer  on  the  world's  highway,  and  lead  him  far  from  the 
haunts  of  evil,  by  the  still  waters  of  temperance,  my  labor 
will  have  been  well  repaid.  Truth  constitutes  the  merit  of 
my  tale,  if  it  possess  any  merit ;  and  most  of  us  know  that 
real  life  often  furnishes  stranger  stories  than  romance  ever 
dreamed  of;  and  that  facts  are  frequently  more  startling  than 
fiction." 

And  now  another  quarter  of  a  century  has  passed  away, 
every  year  of  which  I  have  been  engaged  in  public  work  in 
this  country  and  Great  Britain,  and  at  the  earnest  request  of 
many  friends,  I  have  been  induced,  with  much  apprehension 
and  some  reluctance,  to  give  to  them  some  personal  recollec- 
tions of  these  eventful  years.  I  am  aware  that  I  shall  lay 
myself  open  to  the  charge  of  egotism,  as,  of  necessity,  I  must 
speak  of  myself.  There  will  be  faults  of  style  perhaps,  hardly 
conforming  to  the  strict  laws  of  rhetoric, — neither  making  nor 
calling  for  any  strong  effort  of  the  understanding ;  but  I  shall 
be  satisfied  if  I  can  keep  the  mind  of  my  reader  pleasantly 
occupied,  without  fatiguing  it.  I  shall  embody  the  autobiog- 
raphy with  additions  and  emendations,  and,  having  gained  a 
larger  experience  of  men  and  their  peculiarities,  shall  omit 
some  things  which,  in  my  maturer  judgment,  I  do  not  con- 


INTRODUCTION.  Vll 

sider  it  expedient  to  retain.  In  speaking  of  individuals  I 
shall,  as  I  may  deem  it  advisable,  omit  names ;  shall  speak  of 
things  pleasant  and  painful ;  and,  though  I  may  touch  some 
men's  prejudices,  I  trust  I  shall  write  these  recollections  in 
the  spirit  that  moved  the  immortal  Lincoln,  "  with  charity  for 
all  and  malice  towards  none." 

It  is  sometimes  an  advantage  to  a  young  man  on  the 
threshold  of  life's  experiences,  to  be  shown  the  pitfalls  into 
which  another  has  stumbled,  and  the  snares  in  which  another 
may  have  been  caught.  And  thus  I  send  this  book  forth, 
with  an  earnest  desire  that  it  may  not  simply  amuse  and  in- 
terest, but  help  and  stimulate  in  the  battle  of  life,  encourage 
the  despondent,  and  aid  the  struggling  in  their  efforts  to  rise 
above  adverse  circumstances. 


JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 


"  HILLSIDE,"  WORCESTER,  MASS., 
September,  1869. 


CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTORY. 

PAGE. 

Reasons  for  Publishing  —  Misstatements  Corrected  —  Requests  of 


Friends  —  Plan  of  Writing  —  Object  in  View, 


CHAPTER  I. 

Birth  —  Birthplace—  Situation  —  Description  of  —  Place  of  Resort  — 
Antiquity  of  —  Queen  Elizabeth  at  the  Castle  —  Boyish  Dreams  — 
My  Father  —  Military  Exercises  —  Descriptions  of  Battles  —  My 
Mother  —  Her  Character  —  Former  Position  —  My  First  Lessons  — 
Attendance  at  School  —  Love  of  Ruins  —  Description  of  Them  — 
The  View  —  Quietness  of  Sandgate  —  The  Mail  Coach  —  Trip  to 
Maidstone  —  Description  of  —  Smugglers  —  Their  Nicknames  — 
Martello  Towers  —  Mode  of  Smuggling  —  Incidents  —  Wrecks,  .  19 

CHAPTER  H. 

William  Wilberforce  —  Village  Library  —  My  Reading  —  Accident  — 
Narrow  Escape  from  Death  —  Our  Circumstances  —  My  Mother's 
Need  —  The  Crown  Piece  —  My  Sister  —  Childish  Amusements  — 
Scrapes  —  Attempt  at  Punishment  —  Love  of  Mischief—  Billy  Ben- 
nett's Wig  —  Religious  Persuasion  of  my  Parents  —  Hythe  — 
Cinque  Ports  —  Gleaning  after  the  Reapers  —  Going  to  Mill  — 
Fairs  —  Guy  Fawkes'  Day—  Boys'  Celebration—  Other  Holidays,  33 

CHAPTER  HI. 

Departure  for  America  —  Leaving  the  Village  —  Separation  from  my 
Mother  —  London  —  On  Board  Ship  —  Anchored  off  Sandgate  — 


X  CONTENTS. 

PA«E. 

Visits  from  Friends— My  Father,  Mother*  and  Sister — The  Voy- 
age—Sandy Hook— New  York— Journey  to  the  Farm— Extracts 
from  Letters, 47 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Farm  Life  —  Religious  Impressions  —  Return  to  New  York  —  My 
First  Situation  and  Lodgings — Friends — Extracts  from  Letters 
— Change  of  Employment — Arrival  of  my  Mother  and  Sister— 
Housekeeping — Lack  of  Work — A  Hard  Winter — My  Mother's 
Sickness — Spring — Better  Times, 61 

CHAPTER  V. 

My  Mother's  Death — Burial — Separation  of  my  Sister  and  Myself 
— Visit  to  the  Farm — Return  to  New  York — My  Companions 
and  Amusements — Growing  Dissipation — Removal  to  Bristol — 
To  Providence — First  Attempt  on  the  Stage — Experience  in 
Boston — Work  in  Newburyport — Fishing  Voyage — Narrow  Es- 
cape— Return  Home — Storm  at  Sea — Jake's  Terror — Arrival  at 
Newburyport  —  Marriage  —  Housekeeping — Voyage  to  Bay  of 
Fundy, 72 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Continued  Residence  in  Newburyport — Increasing  Dissipation — 
Falling  off  of  Companions — Attempt  at  Work — Growing  Reck- 
lessness— Trip  to  Lynn,  Haverhill,  and  Amesbury — Concert — Re- 
turn Home — Fearful  Scenes — Sickness — Delirium — Recovery — 
Leave  Newburyport — Diorama — Return  to  Worcester — Employ- 
ment,   91 

CHAPTER  VII. 

My  Wife's  HI  Health — Her  Death — Continued  Dissipation — Metho- 
dist Meeting  Interrupted — Sad  Reflections — Fourth  of  July — 


CONTENTS.  XI 

PAGE. 

Cold  Water  Army— Wretchedness  of  my  Condition — Appeal  to 
Young  Men,   ' 110 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

My  Miserable  Condition— Memory  and  Effects  of  it  Now — Joel 
Stratton— The  Touch  on  my  Shoulder— Our  Walk — My  Promise 
— Temperance  Meeting  in  Town  Hall,  Worcester — First  Speech 
in  Public— Signing  the  Pledge — The  Struggle — Jesse  Goodrich 
— Terrible  Sickness — Recovery, 124 

CHAPTER  IX. 

My  Changed  Condition — Weekly  Speeches — My  Old  Overcoat- 
First  Speech  in  a  Pulpit — My  New  Suit — First  Remuneration — 
Invitations — Extracts  from  Papers — New  Year's  Celebration  at 
Barre — Permission  to  Leave  Work  for  Two  Weeks — My  Apron 
and  the  Bibles, 139 

CHAPTER  X. 

Violation  of  the  Pledge — Reformed  Drunkard's  Prayer — Constant 
Work — 111  Health — Boston — Old  Companions — Bitter  Reflec- 
tions— Return  to  Worcester — Re-signing  the  Pledge — Extracts 
from  Journals — Kindness  of  Friends — Drunkenness  a  Disease — 
Moderate  Drinking — Constitution  and  Temperament — Instance 
of  a  Printer — A  Lawyer — Another — Reasons  for  Giving  Them — 
Picture  of  Blindfold  Child, 145 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Lectures  Continued-1- Written  Record — Number  of  Speeches — Re- 
muneration— Miles  Traveled — Signatures  Obtained — Incidents 
— Visit  to  a  Drunkard — Laughable  Experience — Deacon  Moses 
Grant  at  Hopkintou — Engagements  for  Boston — Adventure  with 
an  Officer  of  Justice — First  Speech  in  Boston — Other  Speeches 


xii  CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

— My  Marriage — Meeting  with  Deacon  Grant — Trip  to  New 
York,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore  and  Washington— Return  to  Phil- 
adelphia— Return  to  Boston, 159 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Temperance  Celebration  in  Boston — Description  of— Trip  to  West- 
ern New  York — Visit  to  the  Penitentiary  on  Blackwell's  Island — 
Benefit  at  Tabernacle — Meeting  in  Faneuil  Hall — Work  at  Phil- 
adelphia and  other  Places — Views  on  Moral  Suasion — Review  of 
my  Experience, 175 

CHAPTER   XIII. 

Enmity  to  the  Cause  of  Temperance — Accusations — Traps — Threat- 
ening Letters — A  Public  Slander — Extract  from  Journal — Apol- 
ogy— Old  Debts — Epithets — Charge  of  Drinking — Statement — 
Church  Report — My  Own  Convictions — Kindness  of  Friends,  195 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Severe  Hfness — "  Goughiana  " — Speeches  in  Boston,  Worcester, 
Newburyport,  Dedham,  New  York,  and  Virginia — Woman  Sold 
— Boston — Return  to  Virginia — Speech  on  Liquor  Traffic — Night 
Serenade — A  Crowd — Abolitionist — Work  Continued — Brain 
Fever — Recovery — News  of  my  Father — Address  to  Colored 
People — Their  Singing — Prayers — Return  Home — Extract  from 
my  Father's  Letter, 211 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Work  Among  the  Children— Incidents— Disturbance  in  "  Faneuil 
Hall" — Extracts  from  Journals — Dread  of  Audiences — Tremont 
Temple— Meeting  in  New  York— Refusal  to  let  me  Pass — Flush- 
ing, L.  I.—"  Singed  Cat  "—Polite  Proprietor, 223 


CONTENTS.  Xlll 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

PAGE. 

Line  of  Travel  for  the  Year — Meeting  at  Kingston — Fall  of  the 
Platform — Notice  of  the  Accident — Practical  Jokes — My  Father's 
Arrival  in  this  Country — Comments  of  the  Press — Opposition  of 
Temperance  Papers — Charge  of  Becoming  Rich — Statement  of 
Receipts — Present  Condition — Purchase  of  Land — Building  a 
House, 240 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Continued  work—  Examples  of  the  Power  of  Drink— Letter  from 
an  Englishman — His  History — Visit  to  Montreal — Address  to 
the  Soldiers — Work  in  Detroit — Flowers  from  the  Children — 
Interview  with  a  Young  Lady — Case  of  Reform, 253 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Journey  to  Pittsburg — Work  in  that  City — Panic  in  Dr.  Heron's 
Church — Cincinnati — Dr.  Fisher's  Church — Wesley  Chapel — 
Wesley  College — Albums — Return  Home — Visit  to  Halifax — Ad- 
dress to  the  Highlanders — Signs — Speech  in  Coburg — Tearing 
my  Coat — Flag  Presentation — Criticisms  of  Gestures — "The 
Platform  does  it" — Power  of  a  Theme — Incident  in  Jersey  City,  267 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Invitation  to  Great  Britain — Mr.  Kellogg's  Visit — Acceptance  of 
my  Propositions — Farewell  Meetings — Dr.  Beecher's  Blessing — 
Departure — Arrival  at  Liverpool — Welcome  to  England — Work 
Prepared — Arrival  in  London — Pleasant  Impressions — Recep- 
tion— The  Street  Band — Sight-Seeing — Punch  and  Judy — Exeter 
Hall— First  Speech, 279 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

PAGE. 

Account  of  Reception  and  Speech  from  a  Published  Work — Invita- 
tion—Preparations—Results—Extract from  the  Banner — "  The 
Bane  and  the  Antigoat " — "  Variety  the  Spice  of  Life,"  ,  .  .  °  287 

CHAPTER   XXI. 

Route  to  Scotland — Edinburgh — Fete  at  Surrey  Gardens — Visit  to 
Sandgate — Old  Friends — Old  Associations — My  Home— The  Old 
Nail — Speech  at  Folkestone — Mrs.  Beattie — Reverence  Paid  to 
Rank — My  Father's  Clergyman — Return  to  London — London 
Fog — Christmas  at  George  Campbell's, .  .  .  302 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

Places  of  Interest — Brymbo  Hall — John  Bright — The  Soldier  and 
his  Wife' — Second  Visit  to  Sandgate — Newstead  Abbey — Vandal- 
ism— Farewell  Addresses — Departure  for  America — Review  of 
Work — Arguments  for  Drinking — Scriptural  Arguments — Mur- 
ray's Lectures, 314 

CHAPTER   XXIII. 

British  Organizations — The  Term  "  Orator  " — Votes  of  Thanks — 
Introductions — The  Scotch  Lassies — The  Handkerchief— The 
Broken  Carriage  Window— The  Scotch  Breakfast — A  Run  for 
the  Train — Hospitalities — English  Comfort, 331 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Lecture  before  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association — Comments 
of  the  Press— Address  to  the  Edinburgh  Students— Soiree  in 
Tanfield  Hall— Address  to  Ladies — Public  Dinner  and  Ban- 
quet—The Lever  Clock— Silver  Pitcher— Rice  Pudding,  .  .  .  340 


CONTENTS.  XV 

• 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

PAGE. 

Speech  at  Leslie— Prof.  Miller — Throat  Remedies— Scene  at  Sad- 
lers  Wells  Theater — Address  to  Oxford  Students — Ludicrous 
gcene «  Fair  Play  " — Fete  at  Hartwell  House — Fireworks — In- 
fluence of  Drink— Extracts  from  Letters— Other  Cases— Poor 
Ned, 350 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Address  to  Outcasts — "Fire" — "One  of  Us" — Arrival  Home — 
First  Speech  in  Philadelphia — First  Visit  to  Chicago — Impres- 
sions— The  West — Christian  Influence — Eeturn  Home — A  Wed- 
ding— Summer's  Rest — Work  in  the  Church  and  Sunday-School 
— Rev.  Geo.  Gould — Death  of  William  Lincoln — Second  Visit  to 
Chicago — Cincinnati — Work  in  Boston,  New  Ttork,  and  Pennsyl- 
vania— Return  Home — Preparations  for  Second  Trip  to  England 
— Farewell  Picnic — Address  in  Worcester — Departure,  .  .  .  372 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Reasons  for  Inserting  the  Trial — The  "Dead  Letter" — State  of 
Feeling  regarding  it — Comments  of  the  Press — Arrival  in  Eng- 
land— Queen  Street  Hall — Continued  Attacks, 391 

CHAPTER   XXVin. 

Trial  in  the  Libel  Case — Court  of  Exchequer — "  Gough  vs.  Lees,"  405 

. 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Continued  Controversy — Macaulay's  Letter — Extract  from  the 
"  London  Morning  Star  " — "  Manchester  Examiner  and  Times,"  428 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

PAGE. 

Fete  at  Sudbrook  Park — Soiree  at  George  Cruikshank's — Edin- 
burgh— Orkney  Islands — Absence  of  Trees — Trip  to  Sanday — 
Visit  to  Paris — Pumpkin  Pie — Drunkenness  in  Wine-Growing 
Countries — Geneva — Mayence — Vevay — Mont  Blanc — Glaciers 
—The  "  Dreadful  Doll  "—Cologne— Relics— Visit  to  Ireland- 
Last  Meeting  in  London — Bible  Presentation — Our  Departure,  440 


CHAPTEE  XXXI. 

Society  in  Great  Britain — Toadyism — The  Nobility — The  State 
Dinner — Aristocracy  of  Blood — Aristocracy  of  Wealth — Temp- 
tations Incident  to  these  Classes — Social  Evil  in  Great  Britain 
— Lines  of  Division — "  Gentility  " — "  Only  a  Mechanic  " — Eng- 
lish Factories — The  Harvest  Home — "  Beer  in  Moderation  " — 
English  Sports — Benches  for  the  "  Colic  " — Condition  of  the  La- 
boring Classes, 456 

CHAPTER  XXXH. 

The  "  Navvies  "—Irish  Begging  —  Ballad  Singers  —  The  "Poet 
Horse  " — Irish  Famine — Americans  in  Europe — Want  of  Taste 
— Snuff-Taking — Feeing  Servants— Railways  in  Great  Britain— 
The  Night  Trains — Signs, 482 

CHAPTER  XXXIH. 

Reform  in  England— English  Mind— American  Mind— Women's 
Work  in  England— "  Beautiful  Work"— Fetes  for  the  People- 
Parlor  Meetings— Carshalton  Park— Poor  Women  from  Lon- 
don— Flowers — One  Bright  Day, .  594 


CONTENTS.  xvii 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

PAGE. 

Departure  for  America — Bad  News — The  Minister's  "Welcome — 
Reception  at  Mechanics'  Hall — Death  of  Joel  Stratton — His  Life 
and  Character — First  Written  Lecture — Charge  of  Deserting  the 
Temperance  Cause — Beggars — Borrowers — Bores — Anecdotes  of 
Travel — Railroad  Accidents, 519 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

Silver  Wedding — Presentation  of  Gifts — Speech — Letter  to  Com- 
mittee— Record  of  Work — Audiences  of  Students — The  Book — 
The  War — Family — Nannie's  Death — Letter  from  my  Wife — 
Record  of  Friends — Courtesy  of  Fellow-Laborers — Conclusion,  538 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Birth— Birthplace — Situation — Description  of — Place  of  Resort — An- 
tiquity of — Queen  Elizabeth  at  the  Castle — Boyish  Dreams — My 
Father — Military  Exercises — Descriptions  of  Battles — My  Mother 
— Her  Character — Former  Position — My  First  Lessons — Attendance 
at  School — Love  of  Ruins — Description  of  Them — The  View — Quiet- 
ness of  Sandgate — The  Mail-Coach — Trip  to  Maidstone — Descrip- 
tion of — Smugglers — Their  Nicknames — Martello  Towers — Mode  of 
Smugglin  g — Incidents — Wrecks. 

I  WAS  born  on  the  22d  of  August,  1817,  at  Sand- 
gate,  in  the  County  of  Kent,  England.  I  have  heard 
my  mother  say  that,  in  that  year,  nearly  all  the  win- 
dows of  our  little  house  were  broken  by  the  concus- 
sion caused  by  the  firing  of  cannon  from  the  Castle, 
in  honor  of  the  grand  visit  of  the  allied  monarchs 
and  their  famous  followers  to  England;  and  that  a 
government  agent  went  round  afterwards  to  pay  the 
bill.  It  is  a  romantic  little  watering-place,  frequented 
by  many  of  the  aristocracy  and  gentry,  and  was  a 
favorite  resort  of  William  Wilberforce.  In  an  old 
guide-book  published  the  year  before  I  was  born — 
1816  —  Sandgate  is  described  as:  "A  neat  and  pic- 
turesque village,  situated  on  the  direct  road  from 
Hythe  to  Folkestone.  It  consists  principally  of  one 
street,  of  a  handsome  breadth,  at  the  foot  of  a  range 
of  lofty  eminences,  and  on  the  very  brink  of  the 


20      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHX  B.  GOUGH. 

sea, — of  which  it  commands  a  boundless  and  delight- 
ful view.  The  houses,  though  small,  are  commodious 
and  remarkably  clean,  light,  and  cheerful."  Now,  a 
large  number  of  houses  have  been  erected  for  the 
reception  and  accommodation  of  visitors,  who  are 
there  for  the  purpose  of  sea-bathing.  It  is,  indeed, 
a  quiet  little  spot,  and  that  which  has  been  said  of 
another  place  of  resort  may,  with  propriety,  be  ap- 
plied to  Sandgate, — it  has  "cheerfulness  without  noise, 
tranquillity  without  dullness,  and  facility  of  commu- 
nication without  disturbance." 

The  Earl  of  Darnley  has  an  elegant  villa,  sur- 
rounded by  a  plantation,  and  over-looking  the  houses 
and  the  sea.  The  earliest  account  of  Sandgate  is  to 
be  met  with  in  the  mention  of  a  castle  which  was 
standing  there  in  the  reign  of  Richard  the  Second, 
who  directed  his  writ  to  the  keeper  of  the  castle  of 
Sandgate,  to  admit  Henry  of  Lancaster,  Duke  of 
Hereford,  with  his  family,  horses,  and  attendants,  to 
tarry  there  six  weeks  for  refreshment.  On  the  site 
of  this  building,  which  had  been  demolished,  another 
castle  was  built  in  1539,  by  Henry  the  Eighth. 
When  Elizabeth  made  her  famous  progress  to  the 
coast  in  1588,  her  majesty  honored  Sandgate  Castle 
with  her  presence,  and  was  entertained  and  lodged 
here  by  the  Governor. 

This  castle  was  a  favorite  resort  of  mine,  and  hav- 
ing, when  quite  a  boy,  gained  favor  with  the  keeper, 
I  was  permitted  free  access;  and,  as  I  acquired 
some  knowledge  of  Bluff  King  Hal,  I  would  wander 
through  the  court-yards,  the  turrets,  and  the  battle- 
ments, and  build  castles  in  the  air,  and — in  fancy — 
people  the  place  with  its  old  inhabitants,  and  see 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      21 

plumed  cavaliers  and  ruffled  dames  pacing  the  corri- 
dors, or  surrounding  the  groaning  board.  Katharine 
of  Arragon,  Anna  Boleyn,  Katharine  Seymour,  and 
others,  flitted  by  me,  and — living  in  the  past — sur- 
rounded by  these  associations,  almost  unconsciously 
my  imagination  was  cultured,  and  my  mind  imbued 
with  a  love  of  history  and  poetry;  and,  having  a 
taste  for  the  beauties  of  nature,  I  was  often  to  be 
found  roaming  on  the  beach,  gazing  at  the  great  sea, 
and  listening  to  its  everlasting  moan; — little  dream- 
ing that  three  thousand  miles  beyond,  was  a  land  in 
which  my  lot  would  be  cast!  But  I  anticipate. 

My  father  had  enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  1798,  and 
served  in  the  Fortieth  and  the  famous  Fifty-Second 
Regiments  of  Light  Infantry,  till  1823,  when  he  was 
discharged  with  a  pension  of  twenty  pounds  a  year. 
He  was  in  the  Peninsular  War,  and  obtained  a  medal 
with  six  clasps,  for  Corunna,  Talavera,  Salamanca, 
Badajos,  Pombal,  and  Busaco.  He  was  once  slightly 
wounded  in  the  breast.  I  remember,  as  well  as  if  it 
had  been  but  yesterday,  how  he  would  go  through 
military  exercises  with  me,  my  mimic  weapon  being 
a  broom,  and  my  martial  equipments  some  of  his 
faded  trappings.  I  was  not,  however,  destined  to  see 
how  fields  were  won.  With  what  intense  interest 
have  I  often  listened  to  his  descriptions  of  battle- 
fields !  How  I  have  shuddered  at  contemplating  the 
dreadful  scenes  which  he  so  graphically  portrayed! 
He  was  present  at  the  memorable  battle  of  Corunna, 
and  witnessed  its  hero,  Sir  John  Moore,  carried  from 
that  fatal  field.  "Here,"  he  would  say,  "was  such  a 
regiment;  there,  such  a  battalion;  in  this  situation 
was  the  enemy;  and  yonder  was  the  position  of  the 


22      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

General  and  his  staff."  And  then  he  would  go  on  to 
describe  the  death  of  the  hero,  his  looks,  and  his 
burial  near  the  ramparts,  until  my  young  heart  would 
leap  with  excitement.  Apart  from  such  attractions 
as  these,  my  father  possessed  few  for  a  child.  His 
military  habits  had  become  a  second  nature  with 
him.  Stern  discipline  had  been  .  taught  him  in  a 
severe  school,  and,  it  being  impossible  for  him  to  cast 
off  old  associations,  he  was  not  calculated  to  win  the 
deep  affections  of  a  child, — although  in  every  respect 
he  deserved  and  possessed  my  love. 

My  mother's  character  was  cast  in  a  gentler  mould. 
Her  heart  was  a  fountain  whence  the  pure  waters 
of  affection  never  ceased  to  flow.  Her  very  being 
seemed  twined  with  mine,  and  ardently  did  I  return 
her  love.  For  the  long  space  of  twenty  years  she 
had  occupied  the  humble  position  of  school-mistress 
in  the  village,  and  frequently  planted  the  first  princi- 
ples of  knowledge  in  the  minds  of  children  whose 
parents  had,  years  before,  been  benefited  by  her 
early  instructions.  And  well  qualified,  by  nature 
and  acquirements,  was  she  for  the  interesting  office 
she  filled, — if  a  kindly  heart  and  a  well-stored  mind 
be  the  requisites. 

Of  course  I  received  my  first  lessons  at  home,  but 
as  I  advanced  in  years,  it  became  advisable  that  I 
should  be  sent  to  a  school;  and  to  one  I  was  accord- 
ingly sent.  There  was  a  free  school  in  the  village, 
but  my  father,  though  he  could  ill -afford  it,  paid  a 
weekly  sum  for  my  instruction  at  the  seminary  of 
Mr.  Davis  of  Folkestone.  I  progressed  rapidly  in 
my  limited  education,  and  became  a  teacher  in  the 
school.  Two  classes,  as  was  the  custom,  were  placed 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHX  B.  GOUGH.      23 

under  my  care;  the  children  of  one  of  them  I  initi- 
ated into  the  art  and  mystery  of  spelling  words  of 
two  syllables,  and  taught  the  Rule  of  Three  to  a  class 
more  advanced.  I  have  now  the  last  "cyphering 
book"  I  used  in  that  school.  On  the  fly-leaf  is  a 
specimen  of  my  fancy  writing, — JOHN  GOUGH,  Nov. 
13th,  1827.  I  was  then  ten  years  of  age.  Soon 
after,  I  left  the  school,  and  have  never  since  entered 
a  day-school,  or  Sunday-school,  to  learn  a  lesson. 

As  I  look  back  to  that  far  past,  and  call  to  mind 
the  scenes  of  my  early  childhood,  how  they  pass  in 
review  before  me!  I  have  always  had  an  intense 
love  of  the  old,  and  would  travel  farther  to  see  a  ruin, 
than  the  finest  modern  structure.  And  no  wonder; 
for  the  vicinity  of  my  home  is  full  of  the  monuments 
of  ancient  time :  Lympne  Castle,  a  fortification  made 
by  the  Romans,  to  protect  the  road  from  their  port 
of  Lympne  (now  Lyrnne)  to  Canterbury; — Shepway 
Cross,  remarkable  for  its  antiquity; — the  Chapel  of 
Our  Lady,  at  Courtat  street,  where,  in  1523,  Elizabeth 
Barton,  by  her  prophesies  and  divinations,  obtained 
the  name  of  "The  Holy  Maid  of  Kent,"  and — in  that 
age  of  bigotry  and  superstition — drew  devotees  and 
pilgrims  to  this  chapel;  history  tells  us  how  she  was 
induced  to  prophesy  in  affairs  of  state,  and,  offending 
Henry  the  Eighth,  was  brought  before  the  Star-Cham- 
ber, and  "suffered  at  Tyburn;" — then,  the  ruins  of 
Studfall  Castle,  described  as  one  of  the  watch-towers 
built  by  Theodosius; — Saltwood  Castle,  the  commence 
ment  of  which  is  ascribed  -to  the  King  of  Kent  in 
488; — Westenhanger  House,  supposed  to  have  been 
a  royal  residence  as  early  as  the  reign  of  Henry  the 
Second ;  a  portion  of  the  old  building  had  the  name 


24      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

of  "Fair  Rosamond's  Tower."  All  these,  and  many 
more,  in  a  circuit  of  a  few  miles  from  my  native  village, 
— indeed,  they  could  all  be  seen  in  one  day.  How  I 
have  clung  closer  to  my  mother's  hand,  and  held  my 
breath,  and  thrilled  with  that  half-pleasurable  terror 
of  a  child  in  passing  a  haunted  house,  as  Rokeby 
Castle  loomed  in  the  moonlight  when  we  crossed  the 
Park  on  our  way  from  Braybourne,  where  mother 
was  born! — Dover  Castle,  eight  miles  away;  Shaks- 
peare's  Cliff,  nearer;  Canterbury,  with  its  gorgeous 
cathedral,  four  hours'  walk  from  us;  Folkestone,  a 
mile  and  a  half  distant,  with  its  historical  associations 
— the  castle,  now  gone,  built  by  the  Lord  of  Folke- 
stone in  1052,  and  the  nunnery,  or  abbey,  of  which 
Leland  writes;  the  steep,  narrow,  irregular  High 
Street,  up  and  down  which,  with  my  green  bag  of 
books  (few  enough  there  were  of  them!)  at  my  back, 
I  traveled  day  by  day  for  three  years  on  my  way  to 
and  from  school.  How  well  I  remember: — up  through 
the  High  Street,  past  the  house  where  Harvey,  who 
discovered  the  circulation  of  the  blood,  was  born,  on 
to  the  level  plain,  by  the  edge  of  the  cliff;  and  as  we 
near  home,  what  an  enchanting  scene!  the  barracks 
up  yonder,  at  Shorncliffe;  the  Martello  Towers;  the 
sea;  the  white  cliffs  toward  Dover;  the  distant  coast 
of  France;  the  castle  and  village;  with  all  the  di- 
versified scenery  surrounding  us,  make  that  half  hour's 
walk  as  pleasant  in  its  variety  and  beauty  as  any  in 
the  kingdom. 

My  reader  will  not,  probably,  thank  me  for  so  much 
description ;  but  it  is  of  my  home — my  birthplace — 
and  I  feel  that  the  impressions  made  on  my  mind  by 
these  surroundings  have  been  permanent. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      27 

Sandgate  was,  in  my  boyhood,  a  much  quieter 
place  than  now.  There  was  nothing  to  break  the 
dull  monotony.  Occasionally  a  fracas  between  the 
men-of-war's  men  and  the  smugglers  would  create  an 
excitement,  and  stir  to  the  depths  the  whole  com- 
munity. The  passing  of  the  mail  from  Dover  to 
London  twice  each  day,  through  the  village,  was 
never  without  its  interest,  though  the  people  knew 
coach  and  coachmen,  and  the  names  of  the  horses. 
There  was  always  a  group  at  the  inn  door  to  ex- 
change a  word  with  the  coachman  or  guard,  or  hear  a 
bit  of  the  latest  news  from  London — that  far-off,  mys- 
terious city!  With  what  reverence,  almost  amouni> 
ing  to  awe,  would  the  staid  villagers  gaze  on  one  who 
had  been  to  "  Lunnon ! "  The  father  of  one  of  my 
school-fellows — Charley  Austin — was  a  coachman  on 
this  line,  driving  down  from  Dover  to  Maidstone,  half 
way  to  London,  and  returning.  One  day — a  real  red- 
letter  day  to  me — my  father  gave  his  permission  for 
me  to  accompany  Charley  to  Maidstone.  Behold  us, 
then,  we  two  boys,  with  the  prospect  of  a  seventy 
miles  ride  on  the  top  of  a  crack  mail-coach  in  1825 ! 

That  English  mail-coach  was  a  "  thing  of  beauty." 
The  recollections  of  that  ride  are  fresh  to-day.  How 
we  did  spin  along,  ten  miles  an  hour,  horses  changed 
every  seven  miles !  It  was  wonderfully  stirring,  and 
we  could  almost  say  of  it,  as  Johnson  said  to  Boswell, 
as  they  rapidly  rode  in  a  post-chaise, — (only  we  knew 
nothing  of  either  of  those  gentlemen  then):  "Ah! 
Bozzy— life  hasn't  many  better  things  than  this." 
Coachman  and  guard  in  scarlet  livery;  four  shining, 
spirited  horses,  the  ostlers  at  their  heads,  ready  to 
throw  off  the  blankets  at  the  words,  "all  right;" 


28      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

the  crack  of  the  whip ;  the  smart  trot,  and  ring  of  the 
horses'  feet  on  the  hard  road;  hedges,  mansions,  barns, 
cottages — all  passing  rapidly;  the  rattling  noise  of  the 
wheels  on  the  "rough  stones  of  some  provincial  town; 
the  excitement;  dogs  barking;  the  bugle  of  the  guard 
playing  a  merry  tune ;  people  throwing  up  the  win- 
dows, and  running  to  the  doors,  to  look  at  the  gaudily 
painted  mail-coach ;  the  short  stop  at  the  public  house ; 
four  horses  all  ready,  an  ostler  to  each  horse;  the 
coachman  on  his  seat,  and  while  the  horses  are  being 
put  to,  he  is  fastening  a  new  piece  of  cord  to  his 
whip;  the  guard  mounting;  the  reins  thrown  up; 
the  "all  right!"  the  tearing  away— on  and  on — it 
was  almost  the  perfection  of  traveling !  I  have  never 
so  thoroughly  enjoyed  a  ride  as  on  that  sunny  sum- 
mer day,  from  Sandgate  to  Maidstone,  and  back. 

I  spoke,  just  now,  of  the  smugglers.  There  was  a 
regularly  organized  gang  of  them  in  the  village ;  and 
I  must  confess  that  the  sympathies  of  nearly  the 
whole  community  were  generally  with  them,  though 
their  influence  was  fearfully  demoralizing.  Lying 
close  to  the  sea — only  twenty-two  miles  from  the 
French  coast — with  high  hills  surrounding  the  village 
on  every  side  but  one — that  towards  Hythe — it  was 
a  spot  peculiarly  fitted  for  their  successful  exploits 
against  the  revenue.  They  were  a  bold,  hardy  set  of 
men.  A  public  house,  called  the  Fleur-de-lis,  was  their 
favorite  haunt.  Their  boats,  painted  white,  lay  along 
the  beach.  Every  one  knew  they  were  smugglers — 
even  the  men-of-war's  men  knew  them — but  the  diffi- 
culty was  to  catch  them.*  During  the  panic  about 

*  Every  man  in  the  village,  who  was  engaged  in  defrauding  the  revenue., 
had  a  nickname,  and  was  really  known  by  no  other.     Some  of  these  nick- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      29 

the  French  invasion,  the  government  had  erected 
Martello  Towers  all  along  the  coast.  These  towers 
are  each  capable  of  accommodating  from  twenty-five 
to  thirty  men,  with  a  piece  of  heavy  ordnance  on  the 
roof.  They  are  erected  either  on  eminences,  or  on 
the  shore,  near  the  water's  edge,  at  intervals  of  a 
quarter  to  half  a  mile.  The  walls  are  of  great  thick- 
ness, their  shape  circular,  height  between  thirty  and 
forty  feet.  Their  foundations  are  laid  at  the  bottom 
of  a  deep  pit,  which  forms  a  dry  ditch,  the  entrance 
guarded  by  a  draw-bridge,  which,  when  raised,  forms 
a  double  door — the  inner  one  strongly  cased  in  cop- 
per. These  Martello  Towers  were  used  at  this  time 
for  the  accommodation  of  men-of-war's  men,  with 
their  officers,  whose  duty  it  was  to  pace  the  beach, 
day  and  night,  armed  with  cutlass  and  pistols,  to  pre- 
vent smuggling.  The  plan  of  the  smugglers  was:  to 
go  out  in  a  smack,  or  lugger,  for  fish — ostensibly- 
run  over  to  France,  get  their  goods  on  board  in  water- 
tight cases, — silks,  laces,  tea,  and  other  articles,  and 
brandy  in  small  casks,  called  ankers, — put  out  in  the 
channel,  take  their  bearings,  and  sink  the  goods;  then 
catch  a  few  fish,  and  return.  The  men-of-war's  men 
immediately  search  their  boats,  while  the  smugglers, 
with  perfect  indifference,  look  on  and  chaff  them; 
though  they  were  generally  very  civil. 

The  most  difficult  part  of  their  work  is  to  run  the 

names  in  Sandgate  were  Bonum,  Crappie,  Homey,  Boxer,  and  Stickeroff. 
The  name  descended  from  father  to  son.  A  boy  coming  into  our  little  Sup- 
day-school,  was  asked  his  name. 

"  Stickeroff,"  was  the  reply. 

"  What's  your  father's  name  ?  " 

"  Stickeroff; — he's  old  Stickeroff,  and  I'm  young  Stickeroff." 

These  names  were  used  to  lessen  the  chance  of  detection,  as  their  real 
names,  under  which  they  would  be  prosecuted,  were  never  heard. 


30      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

goods.  This  is  done  on  a  dark  night.  Remember, 
the  men-of-war's  men  are  constantly  on  the  watch, 
patrolling  the  beach.  The  smugglers,  dressed  in  white 
frocks,  trowsers,  and  hats,  with  moccasins  on  their 
feet,  glide  to  their  boats — slip  the  mufflers  into  the 
row-locks,  lift  their  boat  and  carry  it  into  the  water, 
leap  into  it,  and  away!  In  the  meantime,  their 
women,  and  even  their  children,  are  aiding  them  on 
shore. 

See  that  bright  light  that  flashes  but  a  moment 
from  the  hill !  Every  one  knows  that  the  smugglers 
are  to  have  a  run  to-night.  No  one,  at  that  time,  was 
permitted  to  carry  a  light  in  the  streets  after  a  cer- 
tain hour;  but  that  is  a  signal.  In  an  opposite  direc- 
tion, you  see  another;  and  if  you  keep  a  sharp  look 
out,  you  will  observe  in  the  channel  just  one  flash. 
All  right!  They  have  their  bearings. 

I  remember  one  evening  after  dark,  a  boy  asked 
me  to  go  up  the  hill  with  him.  When  we  had  arrived 
at  a  certain  point,  he  took  some  oakum  steep.ed  in 
turpentine,  and  laid  it  on  the  ground;  then  took  a 
small  dark  lantern  (there  were  no  friction  matches 
then)  and  set  fire  to  it.  As  the  tow  blazed  up,  he 
said  "run,  Johnny,  run," — and  we  both  did  run,  blun- 
dering and  stumbling  in  the  darkness  till  we  came  to 
the  village.  I  went  home,  and  told  my  father,  and  he 
boxed  my  ears. 

The  most  perilous  part  of  the  smuggler's  work  is 
to  land  the  goods;  and  it  is  surprising  how  successful 
they  were — so  many  were  helping  them  on  shore. 
Horses  were  waiting  to  carry  their  goods  up  the 
country,  and  a  gang  of  men  ready  to  wade  into  the 
w»ter,  and  sling  a  couple  of  ankers,  or  cases,  on  their 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 


31 


shoulders,  and  run  up  the  beach.  How  they  suc- 
ceeded in  evading  the  men-of-war's  men,  I  cannot  tell 
you;  but  they  did  it  enough  to  make  the  business 
very  profitable.  Occasionally  they  had  trouble,  and 
father  would  say,  when  we  have  heard  firing,  and 
sometimes  the  rushing  of  feet  past  our  door, — "Ah! 
the  smugglers  are  at  it  again."  A  party  of  the  run- 
ners being  closely  pursued,  one  night,  opened  our  door 
and  threw  in  a  large  package,  and  then  ran  on.  My 
father  was  in  the  room,  and  instantly  threw  it  out  into 
the  darkness;  for  the  slightest  suspicion  of  his  com- 
plicity with  smugglers  would  risk  his  pension.  Though 
he  might  wish  them  well  as  neighbors,  he  was  bound 
to  withhold  all  sympathy  from  them  as  smugglers. 

One  circumstance  I  well  remember.  A  young  man 
had  bought  a  couple  of  pounds  of  tea  for  his  mother, 
and  had  put  it  into  his  long  fishing  boots;  on  land- 
ing, the  preventive  officer  insisted  on  searching  him 
personally,  for,  said  he,  "I  smell  tea."  He  was  re- 
sisted, and  the  quarrel  grew  to  such  a  height,  that 
the  officer  drew  his  pistol  and  shot  the  young  man 
dead.  In  one  minute  the  unfortunate  officer  was 
cut  to  pieces;  a  dozen  knives  were  used  upon  him; 
and,  I  believe,  not  one  of  the  men  was  punished, 
though  the  deed  was  done  in  broad  daylight.  The 
men  engaged  in  the  affray  were  not  seen  for  some 
time  after  in  the  village,  and  woe  be  to  any  one 
who  would  have  betrayed  them;  his  life  would  not 
have  been  worth  a  button.  But  all  this  has  passed 
away  years  ago. 

Living  so  near  the  sea,  we  saw  some  fearful  wrecks. 
Once  I  beheld  the  wreck  of  an  East-Indiarnan,  in 
which  some  seven  hundred  passengers,  returning 


32      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

troops  and  seamen,  perished.  For  weeks  after,  I  saw 
in  my  dreams  the  hair  of  the  women  floating  on  the 
water,  as  I  had  seen  it  in  reality,  when  the  boats 
went  out  to  bring  in  the  bodies.  Some  scores  of 
bodies  were  brought  to  land  or  washed  ashore,  and 
buried  in  Cheriton  church-yard. 


CHAPTER  II. 

William  Wilberforce — Village  Library — My  Reading — Accident — Nar- 
row Escape  from  Death — Our  Circumstances — My  Mother's  Need — 
The  Crown  Piece — My  Sister — Childish  Amusements — Scrapes — 
Attempt  at  Punishment — Love  of  Mischief — Billy  Bennett's  Wig — 
Religious  Persuasion  of  my  Parents — Hythe — Cinque  Ports — Glean- 
ing after  the  Reapers — Going  to  Mill — Fairs — Guy  Fawkes'  Day — 
Boys'  Celebration — Other  Holidays. 

AMONG  other  circumstances  connected  with  this 
period  of  my  life,  I  well  remember  one  which  much 
impressed  me.  The  venerable  and  devoted  William 
Wilberforce  resided,  during  a  few  of  the  summer 
months,  at  Sandgate,  for  the  benefit  of  his  health.  I 
had  heard  much  of  the  great  philanthropist,  and  was 
not  a  little  delighted  when  my  father  took  me  to  his 
lodgings,  where  a  prayer-meeting  was  held.  How  it 
was,  I  know  not,  but  I  attracted  Mr.  Wilberforce's 
attention.  He  patted  me  on  the  head,  said  many 
kind  things,  and  expressed  wishes  for  my  welfare. 
He  also  presented  me  with  a  book,  and  wrote  with 
his  own  hand  my  name  on  the  fly-leaf.  Having 
acquired  some  reputation  as  a  good  reader,  he  re- 
quested me  to  read  to  him.  I  did  so,  and  he  ex- 
pressed himself  much  pleased.  The  book  he  gave 
me  I  have  long  since  lost;  but  never  shall  I  forget 
the  kindly  words  of  the  venerable  giver. 

I  have  remarked  that  I  was  considered  to  be  a 
good  reader.  Often  whilst  I  was  sitting  reading  to 


34      AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

my  mother,  as  she  sat  working  by  our  cottage  door, 
which  faced  the  sea,  did  strangers  stay  to  listen,  at- 
tracted by  my  proficiency  in  this  art.  There  was  a 
library  in  the  village,  kept  by  Mr.  Purday,  and  to 
this  place  many  visitors  to  our  watering-place  re- 
sorted, to  hear  the  news.  Very  frequently  I  was 
sent  for,  to  read  to  ladies  and  gentlemen,  and  the 
school-mistress'  son  become  a  general  purveyor  of 
the  gossip  of  the  day;  in  return  for  which  I  was  re- 
warded pretty  liberally.  On  one  occasion  a  gentle- 
man, to  whom  I  had  read  some  portions  of  a  news- 
paper, was  so  much  pleased,  that  he  took  rne  to  the 
library  fronting  the  reading-room,  in  the  same  build- 
ing, and  asked  me  what  book  I  would  like  to  take. 
Showing  me  a  volume  which  contained  hieroglyphic 
pictures  and  a  common  prayer-book,  he  offered  me 
my  choice.  Now,  with  all  the  love  of  a  lad  for  pic- 
tures, I  ardently  desired  the  hieroglyphical  designs; 
but,  thinking  I  should  be  considered  more  favorably  if 
I  preferred  the  prayer-book,  I  chose  the  latter, — much 
against  my  will.  My  choice  was  applauded;  and  a 
bright  half-crown  into  the  bargain  consoled  me  for 
the  self-mortification  which  my  vanity  had  imposed. 
About  this  time  I  experienced  a  very  narrow  es- 
cape from  death.  I  went  to  school  at  Folkestone, 
and  was  returning  from  that  place  one  day,  accompa- 
nied by  some  other  boys,  playing  at  wagon  and  horses 
—  four  boys  personating  quadrupeds,  which  I  was 
driving,  at  rather  a  rapid  rate.  It  happened  that  a 
man  who  was  digging  a  trench  by  the  road-side  did 
not  perceive  the  four  lads  I  was  driving,  they  having 
stooped  as  they  passed  him.  He  threw  up  a  spadeful 
of  clay,  intending  to  toss  it  to  some  distance,  and  the 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY    OF   JOffiST    B.  GOUGH.  35 

sharp  edge  of  the  implement  was  driven  with  great 
force  against  my  head.  I  instantly  sunk  down  insen- 
sible, and  deluged  with  blood.  I  was  carried  home 
by  the  boys — who  in  reality  became  animals  of  bur- 
den— still  unconscious,  to  my  terrified  parents;  and 
for  days  my  life  was  despaired  of.  Even  when  re- 
covery seemed  probable,  few  hopes  of  my  returning 
reason  were  entertained.  Although,  by  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  I  recovered,  yet  to  this  day  I  feel  the 
effects  of  that  blow.  When  excited  in  speaking,  I 
am  frequently  compelled  to  press  my  hands  on  my 
head,  to  ease  the  pricking  and  darting  sensation  I 
experience;  and  never,  I  suppose,  shall  I  be  entirely 
free  from  inconvenience  from  this  cause.  My  father 
had  a  tender  heart,  notwithstanding  his  habitual 
sternness,  and  he  scarcely  ever  reverted  to  this  cir- 
cumstance in  after  days  without  tears. 

During  my  father's  absence,  seeking  employment, 
he  obtained  a  situation  as  gentleman's  servant.  My 
mother's  circumstances  were  very  much  straitened, 
although,  in  addition  to  school-keeping,  she  worked 
industriously  at  making  a  kind  of  lace,  then  very 
fashionable,  and  in  the  manufacture  of  which  she  ex- 
celled. On  one  occasion,  when  our  necessities  abso- 
lutely required  extra  exertion,  she  took  her  basket  of 
work  and  traveled  eight  and  a  half  weary  miles  to  the 
town  of  Dover.  Arrived  there,  foot-sore  and  heart- 
weary,  she  threaded  the  streets  and  lanes  with  her 
lace,  seeking  for  customers,  and  not  finding  one;  and 
after  reluctantly  abandoning  the  pursuit,  she  once 
more  turned  her  face  towards  home — a  home  desolate 
indeed !  Painful,  bitterly  painful,  were  my  mother's 
reflections  as  she  drew  near  her  door;  and  when  she 
3 


36  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF   JOHN   B.  GO  UGH. 

rested  her  fatigued  frame,  she  had  nothing  in  the 
house  with  which  to  recruit  her  strength.  During 
her  absence,  a  gentleman  had  sent  for  me  to  the 
library,  and  was  so  pleased  with  my  reading,  that  he 
made  me  a  present  of  five  shillings ;  and  Mr.  Purday, 
in  addition,  gave  me  sixpence.  0,  how  rich  T  was! 
Never  had  I  possessed  so  vast  an  amount  before ;  and 
all  imaginable  modes  of  spending  it  flitted  before  my 
fancy.  I  went  to  play  with  some  other  boys  until 
my  mother's  return  from  Dover;  and  soon  afterwards, 
on  entering  our  house,  I  found  her  sitting  in  her  chair, 
bathed  in  tears.  I  asked  her  what  was  the  matter? — 
when  she  drew  me  close  to  her,  and,  looking  in  my 
face  with  a  mournful  expression  which  I  shall  never 
forget,  told  me  that  all  her  weary  journey  had  been 
fruitless — she  had  sold  nothing.  Oh!  with  what  joy 
I  drew  the  crown  piece  and  the  sixpence  from  my 
pocket,  and  placed  them  in  her  hand;  and  with  what 
delightful  feelings  we  knelt  down,  whilst  she  poured 
out  her  heart  in  thankfulness  to  God,  for  the  relief  so 
seasonably  provided.  My  mother  gave  me  a  half- 
penny for  myself,  and  I  felt  far  happier  then,  than  I 
did  when  I  received  the  shining  silver  crown  piece ; 
it  was  all  my  own,  to  do  as  I  liked  with — to  keep  or 
spend !  What  an  inestimable  privilege !  I  can,  in  all 
sincerity  say,  that  never  have  I  received  money, 
since  then,  which  has  afforded  me  more  solid  satisfac- 
tion ;  and  some  of  my  most  pleasant  reminiscences  are 
circumstances  connected  with  that  boyish  incident. 

I  ought,  before  this,  to  have  mentioned  that  I  had 
a  sister,  two  years  younger  than  myself,  of  whom  I 
thought  a  great  deal.  She  was  my  chief  playmate. 
I  used  to  frequently  personate  a  clergyman,  being  then 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF   JOKtf   B.  GOUGH.  37 

very  fond  of  imitation;  and,  having  rigged  up  a  chair 
into  some  resemblance  of  a  pulpit,  I  would  secure  her 
services  in  the  dressing  up  of  rag  dolls,  which  consti- 
tuted my  congregation,  for  whose  especial  benefit  I 
would  pour  forth  my  mimic  oratory — very  much  to 
my  own  amusement,  if  not  to  the  edification  of  my 
dumb  friends,  who  sat  stiff  and  starched,  perfect  pat- 
terns of  propriety.  Then,  as  a  diversion,  I  manufac- 
tured, from  an  old  bottomless  chair,  a  very  respecta- 
ble Punch  and  Judy  box;  and  many  a  laugh  have  I 
raised  among  my  young  companions  by  my  perform- 
ances in  that  line.  My  puppets  were  of  home  manu- 
facture, but  they  passed  muster  well  enough,  espe- 
cially with  the  boys  and  girls  who  had  never  been 
fortunate  enough  to  have  seen  the  genuine  personifi- 
cation of  these  remarkable  characters. 

I  did  not  entirely  avoid  getting  into  what  boys 
call  "scrapes" — nor  did  I  escape  punishments.  I  was, 
like  all  others,  occasionally  disobedient,  or  as  my  poor 
dear  mother  would  sometimes  say, "aggravating;"  but 
the  dear  soul,  I  believe,  never  punished  me  without 
laughing  before  she  got  through.  My  terror  at  cor- 
poral punishment,  or  physical  pain,  was  so  intense  as 
to  be  sometimes  positively  ludicrous.  I  remember 
there  was  one  day,  a  collier,  that  is,  a  large  vessel 
laden  with  coals,  that  ran  in  on  the  high  tide  to  un- 
load; so  that  when  the 'tide  went  down,  she  lay  dry 
on  the  beach,  and  the  boys  delighted  in  the  perform- 
ance of  swinging  by  her  ropes,  and  occasionally  climb- 
ing on  board.  I  was  busily  engaged  at  this  sort  of 
play,  when  my  mother  called  me  to  carry  a  pail  of  ref- 
use to  our  pig,  that  was  kept  in  a  pen  some  quarter 
of  a  mile  from  our  house.  I  crawled  up  the  beach 


38      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

very  reluctantly,  and  taking  the  pail,  made  out  that 
it  was  too  heavy,  and  pretended  that  I  could  not 
carry  it — in  short,  was  very  "aggravating;"  when  my 
poor  mother  took  the  pail  from  me  and  carried  it 
herself — bidding  me  go  into  the  house,  and  wait  till 
she  returned.  As  she  came  in,  I  knew  by  her  face, 
that  I  should  "  catch  it,"  and  when  she  came,  with  a 
stick  in  her  hand,  looking  as  sternly  as  the  dear  soul 
was  capable  of,  I  ran,  and  she  after  me,  till  I  got  into 
a  closet,  and  would  not  come  out.  She  could  not 
strike  to  hurt  me,  for  the  door  was  low  and  narrow, 
affording  no  room  for  the  swing  of  the  stick.  The 
poking  at  me  without  a  blow  became  amusing,  and  I 
laughed.  The  poor  dear  soul,  her  eyes  dancing  and 
her  mouth  twitching  with  ill-concealed  merriment, 
said,  "Well,  John,  I'll  give  you  a  stirring  up," — and 
so  with  a  circular  motion,  I  got  the  stick  alternately 
on  the  head  and  legs,  till  I  promised  to  come  out  and 
take  my  punishment  in  a  more  legitimate  manner. 
Ah !  dear  mother,  how  often  she  used  to  laugh  at 
stirring  me  up  with  a  stick  in  the  closet !  . 

I  always  possessed  the  dangerous  faculty  of  seeing 
the  ludicrous  side  of  everything,  and  was  famous  for 
"making  fun."  This  was  the  source  of  some  trouble, 
both  in  boyhood  and  in  after  years,  and  I  have  al- 
ways sympathized  writh  every  boy  who  was  "prone  to 
mischief," — I  mean  without  malice.  Any  and  every 
opportunity  for  a  joke  was  a  strong  temptation,  al- 
most irresistible.  How,  when  I  have  seen  the  baker, 
with  a  tray  of  loaves  on  his  head,  my  toes  would 
fairly  curl  in  my  shoes,  with  the  longing  just  to  put 
out  my  foot,  and  give  him  only  one  little  trip.  I 
think  one  of  the  severest  punishments  my  father  ever 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF   JOHN    B.  GOUGH.  39 

gave  me — and  I  richly  deserved  it — was  for  a  trick 
of  this  kind,  which  boys  call  "fun."  A  dapper  little 
man,  a  tailor  by  profession,  attended  the  Methodist 
Chapel,  where  my  father  used  to  worship;  and  his 
seat  was  directly  in  front  of  ours.  He  was  a  bit  of  a 
dandy,  a  little  conceited,  and  rather  proud  of  his  per- 
sonal appearance,  but  was  a  sad  stammerer.  He  had 
what  was  called  a  "scratch  wig" — a  small  affair,  that 
just  covered  the  top  of  his  head.  One  unlucky  Sun- 
day for  me,  as  I  was  sitting  in  the  chapel,  with  his 
head  and  wig  right  before  me,  I  began  playing  with 
a  pin,  and  having  bent  it  to  the  form  of  a  hook,  found 
in  my  pocket  a  piece  of  string;  tied  it  around  the 
head  of  the  pin,  and  began  to  fish,  with  no  thought 
of  any  particular  mischiefj  and  doing  what  boys  often 
do  in  church,  when  they  are  not  interested  in,  or  do 
not  understand  the  service.  So  with  one  eye  on  my 
father,  who  sat  by  me  intently  listening  to  the  dis- 
course, and  one  eye  alternately  on  the  minister  and 
my  fishing  line,  I  continued  to  drop  my  hook,  and 
haul  it  up  again  very  quietly — when,  becoming  tired 
of  fishing,  I  gathered  up  the  line,  and  resting  the  pin 
on  my  thumb,  gave  it  a  snap;  up  it  went;  I  snapped 
it  again,  and  again  very  carefully,  till  one  unfortunate 
snap  sent  the  pin  on  Billy  Bennett's  head ;  it  slid  off. 
Then  the  feat  was,  to  see  how  often  I  could  snap  it  on 
his  head  without  detection.  After  several  successful 
performances  of  this  feat,  I  snapped  it  a  little  too 
hard,  and  it  rested  on  the  "scratch  wig"  too  far  for- 
ward to  fall  off.  So  I  must  needs  pull  the  string,  and 
as  my  ill  fortune  would  have  it,  the  pin  would  not 
come ;  I  drew  it  harder  and  harder,  very  cautiously, 
till  it  was  tight.  The  pin  had  caught  somewhere. 


40      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

Now  I  knew,  if  detected,  I  should  be  severely  pun- 
ished. The  temptation  was  so  strong  to  pull  off  that 
wig,  that  it  seemed  to  me,  I  must  do  it;  my  fingers 
itched ;  I  began  almost  to  tremble  with  the  excitement. 
I  looked  at  my  father.  He  saw  nothing.  All  were  at- 
tentively listening  to  the  preacher.  I  must  do  it;  so, 
looking  straight  at  the  minister,  and  giving  one  sharp, 
sudden  jerk,  off  came  the  wig.  I  let  go  of  the  string; 
poor  Billy  sprung  from  his  seat,  and,  clasping  both 
hands  to  his  head, cried,  "Goo — Goo — Good  Lord!" — 
to  the  astonishment  of  the  congregation.  But  there 
in  our  pew  lay  the  wig,  with  pin  and  string  attached, 
as  positive  evidence  against  me.  One  look  at  my  fa- 
ther's face,  convinced  me  that  "I  had  done  it,"  and 
should  "catch  it,"  and  "catch  it"  I  did.  My  father 
waited  till  Monday,  and  in  the  morning  conducted  me 
to  Billy  Bennett's,  and  made  me  beg  his  pardon  very 
humbly.  Billy  was  very  good-natured,  and  actually 
tried  to  beg  me  off;  but  my  father  declared  he  would 
"dust  my  jacket  for  me."  And  he  did;  or  at  any 
rate,  would  have  dusted  it  most  thoroughly,  but  he 
made  me  take  it  off — so  that  the  jacket  was  none  the 
better  for  the  "dusting,"  but  my  shoulders  and  back 
"suffered  some,"  and  it  served  me  right.  All  through 
my  life  this  tendency  to  "make  fun"  has  been  of  no 
advantage  to  me,  though  it  has  given  me  many  a 
hearty  laugh. 

When  I  was  about  nine  years  old,  my  father  en- 
tered the  service  of  the  Rev.  J.  D.  Glennie,  a  clergy- 
man of  the  church  of  England,  and  chaplain  to  Lord 
Darnley,  residing  in  the  village,  and  officiating  in  the 
chapel  of  ease  built  by  his  lordship — there  having 
been,  previously,  but  one  house  of  worship  in  the 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      41 

place,  and  that  a  small  Methodist  chapel.  We  there- 
fore lived  together,  as  my  father  was  a  day  servant, 
and  slept  at  home.  He  was  a  Methodist;  my  mother 
was  a  Baptist,  and  had  been,  while  living  in  Lon- 
don, a  member  of  Surrey  Chapel,  under  the  pas- 
torate of  the  celebrated  Rowland  Hill.  Rev.  New- 
man Hall  is  the  minister  in  charge  now.  My  mother 
generally  attended,  with  my  father,  the  Methodist 
chapel;  yet  she  would  occasionally  walk  to  Folke- 
stone, or  Hythe,  to  attend  a  church  of  her  own  de- 
nomination. I  well  remember  many  a  walk  I  had 
with  her!  Hythe  was  but  three  milec  distant;  and 
quite  a  famous  town  that  was  to  me!  It  was  one  of 
the  Cinque  Ports,  or  Five  Havens,  which — being  op- 
posite to  the  coast  of  France — were  so  named  for 
their  superior  importance  in  time  of  war;  and  at 
that  time  hostility  to  France  seemed  the  natural  in- 
heritance of  the  people. 

•  At  very  remote  periods,  these  ports  or  havens  were 
endowed,  by  royal  grants,  with  many  valuable  privi- 
leges and  immunities.  Among  these  were:  an  ex- 
emption from  all  taxes  and  tolls;  power  to  punish 
foreigners  as  well  as  natives,  who  were  guilty  of  theft; 
to  have  a  pillory,  and  a  cocking  (i.  e.  ducking)  stool, 
for  the  punishment  of  scolds,  or  brawling  women — 
"if  any  such  should  be  found  in  the  district."  But, 
in  return  for  this,  the  ports  were  required  to  fit  out  a 
certain  number  of  ships,  in  time  of-  war,  with  a  quota 
of  men,  to  attend  the  King's  service  for  fifteen  days, 
at  their  own  expense.  The  ports  were :  Dover,  Sand- 
wich, Romney,  Hastings,  and  Hythe.'  The  church  of 
St.  Leonard's,  at  Hythe,  was  famous,  among  other 
things,  for  an  enormous  collection  of  human  skulls  and 


42      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

bones.  Within  the  vault  the  pile  was  twenty-eight 
feet  in  length,  eight  feet  in  breadth,  and  of  equal 
height.  They  were  said  to  be  the  bones  of  combat- 
ants slain  in  a  battle  between  the  ancient  Britons  and 
the  Saxons,  about  the  year  456,  on  the  shore  between 
Folkestone  and  Hythe.  Whenever  we  visited  the 
town,  we  usually  went  to  see  the  bones.  They  were 
quite  the  show  of  the  place.  I  have  seen  them  scores 
of  times. 

At  this  time  but  little  occurred  to  ruffle  the  cairn 
surface  of  our  lives.  We  did  as  others  do  who  are 
poor — fought  for  daily  bread.  In  the  autumn,  mother 
and  sister  and  I  would  go  gleaning  the  ears  that  fell 
from  the  reapers  in  the  wheat  field,  and  often  return 
loaded  with  the  bundles  of  grain  thus  gathered. 
Then,  some  Saturday  afternoon,  when  mother's  school 
"didn't  keep,"  we  would  clear  all  the  furniture  from 
the  room  (little  enough  there  was),  lay  our  treasure 
of  wheat  on  the  floor,  and  with  sticks,  thrash  it  out, 
and  winnow  it  with  a  pair  of  bellows.  We  children 
thought  it  rare  fun.  But  the  crowning  joy  to  me 
was,  when  I  was  permitted  to  take  the  bag  of  grain 
to  the  mill,  a  mile  away.  That  was  an  event!  I, 
like  all  boys,  was  fond  of  riding,  and  I  could  often 
get  a  ride  on  a  jackass;  but  a  horse — that  was  the 
height  of  my  ambition!  On  the  occasion  of  taking 
our  gleaned  wheat  to  the  mill,  Mr.  Laker  was  applied 
to,  a  day  or  two  before,  for  the  loan  of  his  white 
horse;  and,  till  the  longed-for  morning,  I  would  think 
all  day,  and  dream  all  night,  of  riding  in  every  possi- 
ble posture,  on  a  white  horse.  What  a  horse  that 
was!  Blind,  lame,  raw-boned;  always  hanging  his 
head,  as  if  ashamed  of  himself;  but  still,  to  me,  a 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      43 

very  Bucephalus!  How  exalted  a  position,  seated 
on  the  bag  thrown  across  his  back,  with  the  reins  of 
rope  in  my  hands,  and  a  stout  stick;  mother  and 
Mary  standing  admiringly  at  the  door  to  see  me  off! 
How  I  would  make  circuits  round  the  village  to  show 
myself  on  horseback!  Then  off  to  the  mill — deliver 
the  grain — and  display  my  horsemanship;  which  I 
generally  did  so  effectually,  that  I  could  hardly  walk 
for  a  day  or  two;  for  he  was  a  mighty  hard  trotter, 
with  a  backbone  like  a  case-knife.  But  I  endured 
my  martyrdom  with  a  calm  smile  of  exultation. 
Then  Fair  Day  came  every  year  on  the  23d  of  July ; 
and  for  that,  all  our  spare  farthings  were  carefully 
hoarded,  until  I  remember  one  fine  day  we  counted 
eight  pence  between  us — my  sister  and  I. 

These  fairs  are  of  very  ancient  date;  sometimes 
called  feasts,  or  shows,  held  at  certain  seasons  of  the 
year.  In  ancient  times,  fairs  may  have  had  their  uses; 
but  they  have  degenerated  sadly.  How  can  I  describe 
a  village  fair? — the  main  street  lined  with  booths, 
filled  with  toys,  ribbons,  crockery,  and  gilded  ginger- 
bread. Then,  on  the  village  green — (and  this  green 
was  right  before  our  house) — are  larger  booths,  with 
flaring  painted  canvas,  announcing  to  the  gaping 
crowd  that  a  mermaid  and  a  giant  are  to  be  seen 
within.  On  another,  wre  read  that  the  pig-faced  lady 
and  the  spotted  boy  have  just  arrived  from  Bottle- 
Nose  Bay,  in  the  West  Indies.  Then  the  calf  with 
two  heads;  and  the  "ambiguous"  cow,  that  can't  live 
on  the  land  and  dies  in  the  water, — all  to  be  seen  for 
the  small  charge  of  one  penny!  "Here  is  a  Panny- 
rammer  of  the  procession  of  the  Monarch  of  Injy 
on  his  helephant;"  there  are  cheap  Jacks  bawling  their 


44      AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

wares.  "  Here's  such  a  saw  as  you  never  saw  saw,  in 
all  the  days  you  ever  saw;  there's  a  whip  as  is  a 
whip :  there  never  was  but  two  of  'em  made,  and  the 
man  died,  and  took  the  patent  with  him.  Vy,  this 
whip  will  make  my  'orse  go; — and  you  know  vot  he 
is."  All  sorts  of  shows,  swings,  merry-go-rounds,  skii> 
ties,  greasy-pole  climbing,  running  in  sacks,  donkey 
races, — the  slowest  donkey^  to  win,  and  no  man  al- 
lowed to  ride  his  own  donkey.  Conjurors'  booths. 
Continued  cries  of  "  Valk  up !  valk  up ! — Just  a-going 
to  begin."  Pantomimes — Clowns,  Harlequins,  Panta- 
loons, and  Columbines.  Music  resounds  on  every  side. 
"  Music  hath  charms,"  etc.  Drums,  fifes,  penny  whis- 
tles, cat-calls,  hurdy-gurdys,  bagpipes,  horns,  gongs — 
all  playing  together — make  such  music  as  is  only 
heard  at  a  country  fair, — the  dread  of  anxious  moth- 
ers, and  the  paradise  of  children. 

On  the  5th  of  November  came  Guy  Fawkes'  day. 
When  I  was  a  boy,  it  was  kept  with  the  greatest  en- 
thusiasm by  all  the  boys.  In  our  village  there  would 
be  five  or  six  Guys.  Some  dozen  boys  would  agree 
together  to  have  a  Guy,  and  would  select  one  of  the 
number  and  dress  him  for  the  occasion  in  a  large 
smock-frock,  stuffed  out  with  straw;  a  shocking  bad 
hat,  or — better — an  old  soldier's  cap ;  a  short  pipe  in 
his  mouth,  a  mask  on  his  face,  a  sword  in  one  hand, 
and  a  dark  lantern  and  matches  in  the  other.*  Thus 
thoroughly  disguised,  they  would  seat  him  on  a  don- 
key, led  by  two  of  the  number ;  two  preceding,  the 
rest  following,  two  by  two ;  stopping  at  every  house, 
— when  the  followers  would  form  a  circle  round  the 

*  From  this,  originated  the  expression,  "  What  a  Guy  " — when  any  one  ap- 
peared particularly  ridiculous. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      45 

Guy,  and  recite  what  they  called  the  lurry.     When 
I  was  interested  in  Guys,  this  was  the  lurry : — 

"Remember,  remember  the  fifth  of  November, 

Gunpowder  treason  and  plot; 
I  know  no  reason  why  gunpowder  treason 
Should  ever  be  forgot. 

"Old  Guy  and  his  companions 

Did  the  plot  contrive 
To  blow  the  King's  Parliament  House 
All  up  alive. 

"Thirty-six  barrels  of  gunpowder 
Laid  down  below, 
To  blow  all  England's  overthrow. 
Happy  was  the  man,  and  happy  was  the  day, 
Catcht  old  Guy  Fawkes  going  to  his  prey ; 
Dark  lantern  and  matches  in  his  hand, 
All  ready  to  set  prime. 
Stand  off!  stand  off!  you  dirty  dog, 
Your  hands  and  face  as  black  as  soot, 
Like  unto  a  cloven  foot. 
Holler,  boys — holler,  boys — 

Make  your  voices  ring; 
Holler,  boys — holler,  boys — 
God  save  the  King ! 

["Hooray"  by  the  company. 

"Madam,  madam,  there  you  stand, 
In  your  pocket  put  your  hand, 
There  you'll  find  a  little  chink 
For  the  Pope  and  I  to  drink. 
A  penny  loaf  to  stuff  him  out, 
A  pint  of  beer  to  make  him  drunk, 
And  a  good  faggot  to  burn  him. 

["Hooray"  by  the  company. 

"  Hark,  devil— hark  !     What's  to  be  done? 

Hang  him  on  a  long  pole, 
And  there  let  him  burn  !  " 

£" Final  hooray"  by  the  company. 


46      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

The  money  obtained  was  spent  on  fire-works,  and 
material  for  a  bonfire  in  the  evening. 

These  things  have  all,  or  nearly  all,  passed  away, 
and  we  cannot  regret  their  departure;  though  in 
childhood  they  were  the  events  of  the  year, — always 
looked  forward  to  with  interest,  and  prepared  for 
with  enthusiasm. 

I  am  fifty-two  years  of  age;  but,  as  I  call  these 
scenes  to  mind,  I  seem  to  grow  young  again.  How 
busy  we  were,  days  and  even  weeks  before  May-Day, 
preparing  for  the  festival  of  flowers !  How  proud  we 
boys  were,  to  carry  the  garland!  May-Day,  Guy 
Fawkes'  Day,  Fair  Day,  Good-Friday — with  the  hot 
cross-buns — Easter,  'Whitsuntide,  and  Merry  Christ- 
mas,— are  sunny  spots  in  my  memory.  And  yet, 
early  in  life  I  knew  something  of  its  battles,  as  well 
as  its  holidays,  and  tasted  much  of  the  bitter,  as  well 
as  the  sweet.  One  long  look  at  these  days,  before  I 
turn  to  the  hard  work  without  a  holiday ;  one  loving, 
lingering  thought  of  my  childhood,  ere  I  pass  on  to 
tell  of  the  stern,  hard  realities  of  life,  as  I  found  it 
for  many  a  weary  year.  Perhaps  I  have  lingered  too 
long  in  the  path  of  childhood,  where  a  few  flowers 
bloomed  by  the  way-side;  where,  light  of  heart,  I 
sometimes  wove  them  into  garlands.  The  garlands 
are  withered,  the  flowers  are  faded, — but  the  recol- 
lections of  forty  years  ago  remain. 


CHAPTER  HI. 

Departure  for  America — Leaving  the  Village — Separation  from  my 
Mother — London — On  Board  Ship — Anchored  off  Sandgate — Visits 
from  Friends — My  Father,  Mother,  and  Sister — The  Voyage — Sandy 
Hook — New  York — Journey  to  the  Farm — Extracts  from  Letters. 

A  VERY  important  change  in  my  fortunes  now 
occurred.  I  was  twelve  years  of  age,  and  my  father, 
being  unable  to  furnish  the  premium  necessary  to 
my  learning  a  trade,  and  having  no  prospect  for  me 
other  than  to  be  a  gentleman's  servant,  made  an 
agreement  with  a  family  of  our  village,  who  were 
about  emigrating  to  America,  that  they,  in  considera- 
tion of  the  sum  of  ten  guineas  paid  by  him,  should 
take  me  with  them,  teach  me  a  trade,  and  provide 
for  me  until  I  was  twenty-one  years  of  age.  After 
much  hesitation,  my  mother,  from  a  sense  of  duty, 
yielded  to  this  arrangement.  I,  boylike,  felt  in  high 
glee  at  the  prospect  before  me.  My  little  arrange- 
ments having  been  completed,  on  the  4th  of  June, 
1829, 1  took — as  I  then  supposed — a  last  view  of  my 
native  village.  The  evening  I  was  about  to  depart, 
a  neighbor  invited  me  to  take  tea  at  her  house,  which 
I  did.  My  mother  remarked  to  me  afterwards:  "I 
wish  you  had  taken  tea  with  your  mother,  John;" 
and  this  little  circumstance  was  a  source  of  much 
pain  to  me  in  after  years. 

The  parting  from  my  beloved  parents  was  bitter. 


48      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

My  poor  mother  folded  me  to  her  bosom;  then  she 
would  hold  me  off  at  arm's  length,  and  gaze  fondly 
on  my  face,  through  her  tearful  eyes,  reading — as 
only  a  mother  could — the  book  of  futurity  for  me. 
She  hung  up,  on  the  accustomed  peg,  my  old  cap  and 
jacket,  and  my  school  bag,  and  there  they  remained 
until — years  after — she  quitted  the  house.  At  length 
the  parting  words  were  spoken,  and  I  left  the  home 
of  my  childhood — perhaps,  forever. 

A  touching  scene  it  was,  as  I  went  through  the 
village,  towards  the  coach  office,  that  evening.  As  I 
passed  through  the  streets,  many  a  kind  hand  waved 
a  farewell,  and  not  a  few  familiar  voices  sounded  out 
a  hearty  "God  bless  you!"  There  was  one  old  dame, 
of  whom  I  had  frequently  bought  sweetmeets,  at  her 
green  grocery,  and  who  was  familiarly  called  Granny 
Hogben; — she  called  me  into  her  shop,  and  loaded 
me  with  good  wishes,  bull's-eyes,  cakes,  and  candies, 
although — poor  affectionate  soul ! — she  could  ill  afford 
it.  The  inn  was  reached,  and,  in  company  with  an- 
other lad — who  was  going  out  with  our  family  to 
meet  a  relative — I  mounted  the  roof  of  the"  London 
night  coach,  and  was  quitting  the  village,  when,  on 
turning  round  to  take  a  last  look  of  it,  I  saw  a 
crouching  woman's  figure  by  a  low  wall,  near  the 
bathing  machines.  My  heart  told  me  at  once  that  it 
was  my  mother, — who  had  taken  advantage  of  half 
an  hour's  delay  at  the  inn  door,  and  walked  on  some 
distance,  to  have  one  more  glance  at  her  departing 
child.  I  had  never,  till  then,  felt  that  I  was  loved  so 
much. 

My  mother  took  our  separation  very  keenly  to 
heart.  *My  sister  has  told  me  that  she  would  sit,  as 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      51 

if  in  deep  thought,  looking  out  in  the  distance,  as 
though  she  saw  something  far  away ;  and  sometimes 
my  sister  would  see  her  at  night,  standing  by  the  win- 
dow, looking  out  at  the  sea  for  hours.  When  spoken 
to  on  these  occasions,  she  would  start  and  sigh,  and 
creep  quietly  to  her  bed. 

When  we  arrived  at  Ashford,  we  were  placed  inside 
the  vehicle.  Amongst  many  things  which  impressed 
me  on  my  journey,  was  the  circumstance  of  a  poor, 
shivering  woman,  begging  alms  at  the  coach  door  at 
midnight,  for  whom  I  felt  keenly.  At  Footscray  I 
was  again  placed  outside  the  coach.  On  arriving  near 
the  metropolis,  objects  of  interest  increased  every  mo- 
ment ;  and,  when  fairly  in  the  great  city,  of  which  I 
had  heard  so  much,  I  was  almost  bewildered  with  the 
crowds,  and  the  multiplicity  of  attractive  objects.  A 
fight  between  two  bellicose  individuals,  was  almost 
my  first  town  entertainment. 

Whilst  I  remained  in  London  I  saw  some  of  the 
great  gratuitous  attractions, — such  as  St.  Paul's,  the 
Tower,  the  Eoyal  Exchange,  the  Mansion-House,  and 
the  Monument — to  the  summit  of  which  I  ascended, 
and  surveyed  from  thence  the  mighty  mass  of  brick, 
and  smoke,  and  shipping !  On  the  10th  of  June,  eve- 
rything being  arranged,  we  sailed  from  the  Thames  in 
the  ship  Helen.  Passing  Dover,  we  arrived  off  Sand- 
gate,  when  it  fell  a  dead  calm,  and  the  ship's  anchors 
were  dropped.  I  afforded  some  amusement  to  those 
around  me,  by  the  eagerness  with  which  I  seized  a 
telescope,  and  the  positiveness  with  which  I  averred 
that  I  saw  my  old  home.  During  that  day,  boat  after 
boat  came  off  to  us  from  the  shore;  and  friends  of 
the  family  I  was  with,  paid  them  visits; — but  /  was 


52      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

unnoticed;  my  relatives  did  not  come.  After  long 
and  weary  watching,  I  saw  a  man  standing  up  in  a 
boat,  with  a  white  band  round  his  hat.  "  That's  he ! 
— that's  my  father!" — I  shouted.  He  soon  got  on 
deck,  and  almost  smothered  me  with  his  kisses — from 
which  I  somewhat  shrank,  as  his  beard  made  very  de- 
cided impressions  on  my  smooth  skin.  I  heard  that 
my  mother  and  sister  had  gone  to  a  place  of  worship, 
at  some  distance  from  Sandgate ;  which  I  regretted 
much.  When  evening  came  on,  our  visitors  from  the 
shore  repaired  to  their  boats,  which — when  a  few 
yards  from  the  ship — formed  in  a  half  circle.  Our 
friends  stood  up  in  them,  and  o'er  the  calm  waters 
floated  our  blended  voices,  as  we  sung : — 

Blest  be  the  dear,  uniting  love, 

Which  will  not  let  us  part 
Our  bodies  may  far  hence  remove — 

We  still  are  one  in  heart. 

Boat  after  boat  then  vanished  in  the  gloomy  distance, 
and  I  went  to  my  bed.  About  midnight  I  heard  my 
name  called,  and,  going  on  deck,  I  there  found  my 
beloved  mother  and  sister,  who — hearing  on  their  re- 
turn, that  I  was  in  the  offing — had  paid  half  a  guinea 
(money  hardly  earned,  and  with  difficulty  procured, 
yet  cheerfully  expended,)  to  a  boatman,  to  row  them 
to  the  ship.  They  spent  an  hour  with  me  (and  0, 
how  short  it  seemed!) — then  departed,  with  many 
tears.  Having  strained  my  eyes  till  their  boat  was 
no  longer  discernible,  I  went  back  to  my  bed,  to  sob 
away  the  rest  of  the  morning. 

I  felt  this  to  be  my  first  real  sorrow.  Grief,  how- 
ever, will  wear  itself  out;  and,  having  slept  somewhat, 
when  I  awoke  in  the  morning — a  breeze  having 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      OO 

sprung  up — we  were  far  out  at  sea.  I  never  expe- 
rienced any  sea-sickness ;  and,  had  my  expectations 
respecting  the  family  I  was  with,  been  realized,  I 
should  have  been  comparatively  happy.  Occasionally, 
on  looking  over  my  small  stock  of  worldly  goods,  I 
would  find  little  billets,  or  papers,  containing  texts  of 
scripture,  pinned  to  the  different  articles.  In  my 
Bible,  texts  of  scripture  were  marked  for  me  to  com- 
mit to  memory.  Among  them,  I  remember,  were  the 
second,  third,  fourth,  and  fifth  chapters  of  Proverbs. 
As  we  voyaged  on,  I  soon  began  to  feel  a  difference 
in  my  new  situation ;  and  often  did  I  bitterly  contrast 
the  treatment  I  received,  with  that  to  which  I  had 
been  accustomed  at  home.  I  wished  myself  back 
again;  but  the  die  was  cast,  and  so  I  put  up  with 
disagreeables  as  well  as  I  could.  I  insert  here  an  ex- 
tract from  a  letter  of  mine,  written  while  on  board 
ship  : — "  George  and  I  are  the  only  ones  who  have 
tumbled  down  the  hatchway.  George  has  fallen 
down  twice.  Once  he  hurt  his  side  a  little,  and  then 
he  hurt  his  nose  very  much.  I  fell  down  with  a  ket- 
tle of  hot  water;  but  I  held  up  the  kettle,  and  though 
I  was  pretty  well  bumped,  I  was  not  scalded.  I  wish 
mother  could  wash  me  to-night.  Oh!  when  I  think 
what  a  fuss  I  made  when  she  combed  my  hair,  I  am 
much  ashamed  of  myself,  and  only  wish  she  could 
do  it  now ;  for  it  is  harder  to  do  it  myself  than  it  was 
for  her  to  do  it." 

On  the  morning  of  the  3d  of  August — fifty-four 
days  from  the  time  of  sailing — we  arrived  off  Sandy 
Hook ;  and  0,  how  I  longed,  as  we  sailed  up  the  Nar- 
rows, to  be  on  deck,  and  survey  the  scenery  of  the 
New  World!  I  was  not  permitted  to  do  this;  for, 


54  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF  JOHN   B.  GOUGH. 

whilst  I  could  hear  the  shouts  of  delighted  surprise 
which  burst  from  the  lips  of  the  passengers  who 
crowded  the  vessel's  sides,  I  was  confined  below,  occu- 
pied in  blacking  the  boots  and  shoes  of  the  family,  in 
order  that  they  might  be  landed  "sound,  and  in  good 
order."  We  made  the  land  at  three  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  and  were  moored  at  the  wharf  in  New  York 
at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon — rather  an  unusual 
thing,  as  ships  are  generally  detained  some  time  at 
Staten  Island.  I  had  become  so  tired  of  biscuit,  that 
I  most  ardently  longed  for  some  "soft  Tommy,"  and 
was  already  munching  it  in  imagination,  when  my 
guardians  went  on  shore,  leaving  me  behind.  I  had 
anticipated  purchasing  some  dainties  immediately; 
for,  having  received  a  little  money  for  a  cabbage-net 
which  I  had  made  on  board,  I  possessed  the  requisite 
funds.  My  capital  was,  however,  not  so  large  as  it 
might  have  been,  for  I  had — like  other  capitalists — 
negotiated  a  loan  with  the  black  cook,  to  whom  I 
advanced  an  English  crown.  The  principal  and  in- 
terest remain  to  this  day  unpaid  ;— not  an  uncommon 
occurrence,  I  have  been  told  since,  in  regard  to  for- 
eign loans.  ^ 

I  was  left  on  board  all  night,  as  my  friends  did 
not  return ;  and,  during  their  absence,  I  sought  for 
amusement  in  gazing  from  the  vessel  on  the  crowded 
wharfs.  I  well  remember  my  surprise  at  seeing  a 
boy,  about  my  own  age,  insert  a  plug  of  tobacco  in 
his  mouth;  but  I  soon  became  accustomed  to  such 
things  as  these ;  and  many,  too,  of  a  far  stranger  na- 
ture. We  stayed  about  two  months  in  New  York  City. 
Nothing  occurred,  of  any  importance.  I  strolled  some- 
what about  the  streets,  when  I  had  an  opportunity, 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH.  O-J 

till  we  started  for  the  farm  in  Oneida  County,  to  en- 
ter upon  another  phase  of  my  changed  life.  I  was 
greatly  delighted  with  the  scenery  on  the  Hudson 
River,  which  far  surpassed  any  I  had  before  beheld.  I 
had  not  been  a  great  traveler ;  had  never  been  twenty 
miles  from  home — with  the  exception  of  my  mem- 
orable ride  to  Maidstone  and  back — and  this  will  be 
some  excuse  for  my  enthusiastic  descriptions  in  the 
letters  I  wrote  home. 

I  deem  it  advisable  here  to  insert  some  short  pas- 
sages from  letters  received  from  home,  with  extracts 
from  my  own  letters,  written  during  the  first  two 
years  of  my  new  experience.  I  wish  to  convey  some 
idea  of  mv  dear  mother's  character,  as  shown  in  her 

*/  9 

letters  to  her  boy,  and  give  my  early  impressions  of 
the  New  World,  and  the  new  life  on  which  I  had  en- 
tered. 

Extract  from  mother's  letter,  dated  March  22, 
1830:- 

Your  father  wishes  me  to  say  to  you  now,  that  it  is  his  particular  wish 
that  you  should  not  bind  yourself  by  any  further  agreement  to  your 
master,  or  any  one  else,  till  you  have  consulted  him  on  the  subject  by 
letter,  and  received  his  answer;  but  it  is  our  earnest  wish  to  you,  my 
dear  boy,  that  you  would  always  behave  to  your  master  and  mistress 
with  the  greatest  fidelity,  diligence,  and  respect.  Study  his  comfort, 
and  endeavor  to  promote  his  interest  by  every  means  in  your  power. 
It  is  your  duty  and  interest  to  do  so,  and  no  ties  bind  so  closely  as  those 
of  affection  and  gratitude. 

I  wish,  my  dear,  when  you  write  again,  you  would  let  me  know  if 
you  have  committed  to  memory  any  of  the  chapters  I  mentioned  to  you 
in  the  letter  I  put  among  your  clothes.  You  will  find  them  of  great 
use  to  you;  more  especially,  if  you  are  employed  at  work  in  the  fields, 
where,  perhaps,  you  will  be  much  alone.  Then  you  will  find  it  a  pleas- 
ant and  profitable  employment  for  your  thoughts,  to  be  able  to  repeal 
to  yourself  portions  of  the  Word  of  God.  I  speak  from  experience, 
my  dear.  I  have  often  passed  pleasantly  many  an  hour  of  hard  work, 


56  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHN    B.  GOUGH. 

by  repeating  to  myself  passages  of  Scripture  committed  to  memory; 
and  I  can  now  remember  those  best  that  I  learned  before  I  was  your  age. 

We  long  to  know,  my  dear,  how  you  got  through  the  severe  winter. 
It  was  very  severe  here;  but  I  suppose  you  will  find  the  summer  as 
hot  as  you  have  felt  the  winter  cold.  We  shall  be  happy  to  hear  from 
you  as  often  as  you  can  make  it  convenient  to  write  to  us. 

My  dearest  boy,  I  must  bid  you  farewell.  May  the  Lord  bless  and 
keep  you  in  all  your  ways ! — is  the  earnest  prayer  of  your  affectionate 
mother.  JANE  Go  UGH. 

From  a  letter  dated  April  2,  1831 : — 

I  hope,  my  dear,  you  are  well  in  health  and  spirits.  I  do  assure 
you,  we  all  of  us  remember  you  with  unabating  affection ;  and  the  ninth 
of  every  month  brings  forcibly  to  my  mind  the  time  when  I  parted  from 
you;  and  I  hope,  if  it  be  the  Lord's  will,  that  we  shall  meet  again  in 
this  world,  if  our  lives  be  spared.  You  have  been  gone  now  nearly 
two  years,  and  the  time  will  wear  away. 

Your  father  was  pleased  that  you  had  taken  pains  to  write  your  last 
letter  so  well.  He  wishes  you  to  practice  your  writing  whenever  you 
have  an  opportunity ;  and  also  your  ciphering ;  as  it  may  be  of  great 
use  to  you  in  your  future  life. 

I  hope,  my  dear  boy,  you  are  earnestly  seeking  after  the  one  thing 
needful.  You  know,  the  Lord  has  said — "  they  that  seek  shall  find." 
It  is,  my  dear  boy,  the  most  earnest  wish  of  both  of  your  parents,  that 
you  may  in  early  life  be  devoted  to  the  Lord ;  that  you  may  be  his  ser- 
vant— serve  him — and  so,  my  dear  boy,  keep  close  to  your  Bible. 
Whenever  you  have  an  opportunity  to  read  it,  prefer  it  above  all  other 
books ;  and  may  the  Lord  enable  you  so  to  read  and  understand  it, 
that  you  may  be  made  wise  unto  eternal  salvation. 

And  I  hope  you  will  not  neglect  private  prayer.  "  Ask,  and  you 
shall  receive," — is  a  most  gracious  promise;  and  he  that  has  spoken  it, 
will  perform  it.  May  the  Lord  guide  and  keep  you  in  all  His  ways, 
and  bring  you  at  last  to  His  heavenly  kingdom !  Adieu !  my  dear  boy. 
May  the  Lord  bless,  keep,  and  preserve  you,  and  keep  you  in  all  His 
ways ! — is  the  prayer  of  your  ever  affectionate  mother. 

JANE  GOUGH. 

Extract  from  a  letter  written  by  me  a  few  weeks 
after  my  arrival  in  this  country: — 

On  the  17th  of  July,  as  I  was  looking  for  Doddridge's  Rise  and 


AUTOBIOGEAPHT  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      57 

Progress,  I  found  that  dear  letter  which  my  beloved  mother  put  into 
one  of  my  shirts.  I  could  not  read  it  for  a  long  time,  and  not  till  I 
had  shed  a  great  many  tears ;  but  I  shall  keep  it  as  a  particular  treas- 
ure, as  there  are  a  great  many  things  which  will  be  of  great  service  to 
me  now,  as  well  as  in  the  future.  Oh  !  as  I  lay  tossed  about  on  the 
wide  ocean,  I  thought  of  my  poor  dear  mother,  and  how  badly  I  had 
behaved  to  her,  as  also  of  my  dear  father;  and  thought,  if  I  was  at 
home,  how  cheerfully  I  would  go  to  work  for  him,  and  not  grumble, 
and  go  with  such  unwilling  steps  as  I  have  done.  But  I  hope,  my 
beloved  parents,  you  will  forgive  all  that  is  past. 

Dear  parents,  on  Sunday,  the  2d  of  August,  we  were  looking  out 
for  the  lights  at  Sandy  Hook, — with  that  sort  of  anxiety  which  my  dear 
father  well  knows, — after  we  had  been  fifty-three  days  at  sea;  but  we 
did  not  see  land  till  the  3d,  about  sunrise.  We  drew  nearer  and 
nearer,  with  a  fine  fair  wind,  which  brought  us  to  Sandy  Hook  about 
twelve  o'clock,  where  the  pilot  came  on  board.  At  about  one  o'clock 
p.  M.  we  arrived  at  Staten  Island,  where  the  doctor  came  on  deck  and 
examined  us;  also  the  printer,  to  take  an  account  of  our  voyage. 
About  three  o'clock  p.  M.  we  arrived  at  New  York,  etc. 

A  letter  I  wrote,  dated  Sandgate  Farm,  Westmore- 
land, December  26,  1829:— 

Dear  and  Honored  Parents, — Having  an  opportunity  of  writing  to 
you,  I  shall  endeavor  to  improve  it,  by  first  describing  to  you  our  jour- 
ney from  New  York  to  this  place,  which  is  a  very  comfortable  farm, 
about  twelve  miles  from  Utica. 

On  the  30th  of  August  we  left  New  York  for  Albany,  when  we 
went  down  to  the  steamboat,  and  at  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  on 
Saturday,  set  off,  and  had  such  a  grand  sight  all  the  way  up  the  Hud- 
eon  River,  as  I  cannot  describe  to  you.  It  is  past  description.  We 
saw  large  hills  of  solid  rock,  with  pine  and  fir  trees  growing  from  be- 
tween the  crevices.  On  the  next  day  we  came  to  the  Catskill  and 
Alleghany  Mountains,  which  surpassed  all  we  had  seen  before;  but 
yet  we  had  something  more  grand  to  witness.  About  six  o'clock  we 
arrived  at  Albany,  a  large  and  pretty  city.  On  Monday  we  got  our 
luggage  out  of  the  steamboat  into  a  canal-boat,  in  which  we  staid  at 
Albany  till  four  o'clock,  and  then  started  for  Utica.  We  sat  very 
comfortable  on  deck  till  sunset.  By  the  bye,  we  came  through  the 
locks,  which — I  suppose  you  know — raised  us  a  great  many  feet.  We 


58      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

then  went  down  to  bed.  All  slept  very  comfortably,  except  Sarah, 
who  was  disturbed  by  the  noise  of  the  waters  rushing  into  the  locks — 
for  we  passed  a  great  many  between  Albany  and  Schenectady.  The 
first  thing  that  struck  our  attention  in  the  morning  was  the  Mohawk 
River,  running  by  our  side.  It  is  a  broad  and  shallow  river.  About 
eleven  o'clock  we  crossed  the  Mohawk,  over  an  aqueduct,  and  went  on 
shore  to  get  some  apples. — (In  this  country  people  may  go  into  an 
orchard  and  get  as  many  apples  as  they  can  eat.) 

Nothing  material  occurred  till  the  next  day.  When  we  had  arrived 
at  Little  Falls,  the  sight  was  grander  than  anything  we  had  seen  before. 
The  village  is  built  on  a  solid  rock.  It  is  of  no  use  for  me  to  describe 
it  to  you,  for  it  is  too  truly  out  of  my  power.  I  do  believe  that  Eng- 
land cannot  boast  such  a  sight — much  as  I  love  my  native  country. 
You  can  have  no  idea  of  the  romantic  scenery  all  around,  unless  you 
were  here  to  see  it  yourself.  We  arrived  at  Utica  at  midnight ;  but 
did  not  go  on  shore  till  Thursday.  We  took  lodgings  at  a  person's 
house,  the  name  of  Brown,  on  Bleeker  street,  at  $7  per  month;  but 
we  left  it  after  we  had  been  there  three  weeks,  and  came  to  the  farm 
which  master  had  bought.  Our  wagon  came  and  fetched  us  to  this 
place.  The  farm  is  very  comfortable,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and 
four  acres  of  clear  land,  and  fifty  acres  of  woodland,  with  a  fine  or- 
chard and  garden,  a  very  comfortable  dwelling  house,  where  we  lived, 
and  a  nice  log  house.  There  is  also  a  wood-house,  a  wagon  and 
sleigh  lodge,  three  hog-pens,  a  granary,  stable,  two  barns,  two  cow 
lodges,  smoke  house,  and  a  good  pump.  The  stock  consists  of  three 
cows — but  master  talks  of  having  eighteen  or  twenty  in  the  summer ; 
two  horses,  three  fatting  hogs,  seven  pigs,  fifty  sheep,  a  bull,  and  a 
calf.  I  like  driving  our  team  about.  A  team  in  this  country  is  two 
horses.  Our  wagon  is  not  half  so  heavy  as  the  English  are.  The 
horses  are  put  in  as  you  put  them  in  a  pair  horse  coach.  I  like 
driving  about  in  this  way  very  well.  I  have  been  to  Clinton  four 
times  since  I  have  been  here,  a  distance  of  about  three  miles  from  our 
farm  ;  and  to  Manchester,  about  three  miles.  I  rode  on  horseback  to 
Manchester  twice,  and  to  Clinton  once;  but  I  have  been  to  Clinton 
three  times  with  our  wagon.  • 

I  do  indeed,  dear  parents,  think  of  home  with  a  heavy  heart  very 
often,  but  I  do  try  to  keep  up  my  spirits.  I  do  sincerely  hope  we  shall 
meet  again  in  this  world ;  but  if  it  be  not  the  Lord's  holy  will,  I  hope 
we  shall  meet  in  Heaven,  where  parting  shall  be  no  more.  I  am  sorry 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      59 

to  inform  you  that  I  cannot  comply  with  your  desire,  as  there  is  no  Sun- 
day-school near  us,  nor  any  Methodist  place  of  worship  nearer  than 
Vernon  Centre,  about  two  miles,  except  once  a  month  there  is  preach- 
ing at  the  next  house.  But  there  are  Baptist  and  Presbyterian  churches 
nearer;  but  we  generally  attend  Vernon  Centre.  We  are  very  sorry  to 
hear  you  have  had  a  bad  summer.  We  have  very  sudden  changes  in 
the  weather ;  yesterday  we  worked  stripped  to  our  shirts,  though  it  was 
December,  and  to-day  we  have  had  a  heavy  snow.  We  have  been 
driving  our  oxen,  fetching  wood,  as  master  bought  a  yoke  of  oxen  the 
other  day ;  I  am  going  to  learn  to  drive  them.  It  is  "  haw  and  gee  " 
here,  instead  of  "  woo  and  gee,"  as  it  is  in  the  Old  Country.  Tell  Mrs. 
Beattie  I  shall  never  forget  her  kindness  to  me,  in  sending  the  ginger- 
bread and  milk.  I  hope  neither  she,  nor  Mr.  Beattie,  nor  the  children 
may  ever  want  any  good  thing  on  earth,  and  that  they  may  all  arrive 
safe  at  last  in  glory. 

Dear  mother,  I  am  not  able  to  give  Mrs.  Brown  a  full  description 
of  America,  but  I  will  endeavor  to  give  her,  and  you,  my  dear  parents, 
a  few  particulars.  First,  there  is  plenty  of  work  for  people  to  do ;  and 
if  they  will  but  work,  they  may  get  a  very  comfortable  living.  Second, 
there  is  plenty  of  wood  for  winter;  $2  per  cord  for  four-foot  wood,  and 
8s.  per  cord  for  two-foot  wood.  This  money  is  just  half  your  money. 
Master  says  he  wishes  some  of  the  wood  that  is  lying  about,  was  be- 
hind your  house.  There  is  enough  wood  lying  about  the  farm  to  sup- 
ply hundreds  of  families;  stumps  and  trees  lying  round  about  the 
woods,  which  they  do  not  care  to  burn,  as  they  take  good  timber  to 
burn.  They  never  think  of  grubbing  up  the  stumps  when  the  trees 
have  been  cut  down,  but  they  let  them  stand  and  rot.  Third,  provis- 
ions are  very  cheap.  Bread  is  Is.  per  gallon,  6d.  your  money;  beef, 
from  l|d.  to  2d.  per  pound;  pork,  l^d.  per  pound.  They  throw 
away  the  hog's  inwards,  and  you  can  buy  hog's  feet,  poles,  and  cars  by 
the  bushel.  Cows  are  very  cheap.  You  can  get  a  good  cow  for  S12 
in  the  spring,  and  from  $12  to  $16  in  the  fall;  a  good  fowl  or 
pullett,  4d.  to  6d. ;  geese  and  turkeys,  Is.,  your  money.  I  find  I 
must  conclude,  entreating  you  to  give  my  love  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Valyer 
and  family,  and  all  inquiring  friends.  Also,  accept,  beloved  parents, 
my  every  good  wish  and  my  sincere  love.  I  expected  to  have  seen  a 
longer  letter,  and  a  few  lines  from  my  dear  father.  I  long  to  sec  his 
handwriting  again.  I  am,  dear  parents,  your  ever  affectionate  son, 

J.  B.  GOUGH. 


60      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

Extract  from  another  letter : — 

I  have  enjoyed  pretty  good  health  and  spirits  since  I  have  been  here. 
I  have  learned  a  great  many  things.  I  can  hold  the  plough,  and  thrash, 
and  plant  and  hoe  corn,  plant  potatoes,  make  cider,  and  do  a  great 
many  things  that  I  knew  nothing  of  before.  I  was  at  the  harrow  with 
the  oxen,  when  I  heard  there  were  some  letters  for  me,  and  soon  after, 
Elizabeth  brought  a  packet  to  me  in  the  field.  But  I  could  not  work 
any  more  all  day  for  joy.  I  like  the  Yankees  pretty  well.  They  are 
open,  free,  and  generous.  They  very  much  use  the  word  "guess." 
Thus,  if  they  meant  "I  shall  go  to  chapel,"  they  would  say,  "I 
guess  I  shall  go  to  chapel." 

Yesterday  I  went  to  a  camp-meeting,  which  is  held  once  a  year,  by 
different  societies  of  Methodists.  It  is  generally  held  in  some  of  the 
woods.  When  we  arrived  at  the  entrance  of  the  woods,  where  this 
meeting  was  held,  we  heard  a  confused  noise;  but  the  first  thing  that 
struck  our  attention  was  a  great  number  of  tents  or  booths,  such  as  are 
used  at  fairs.  The  next,  was  the  voice  of  prayer  in  every  direction. 
About  fifteen  engaged  in  prayer  to  God  at  the  same  time,  at  different 
prayer-rings,  which  consisted  of  about  fourteen  or  fifteen  men  and  wo- 
men met  together,  and  a  log  to  separate  the  males  from  the  females. 
After  we  had  been  there  about  an  hour  and  a  half,  the  trumpet  sounded 
for  preaching  in  the  camp.  The  average  number  was  from  five  to  seven 
thousand. 

After  preaching,  the  prayer-meetings  were  held  for  the  space  of  two 
hours  in  the  tents.  In  the  course  of  the  forenoon,  I  went  to  see  the 
Indians'  camp,  where  I  saw  the  red  brethren  praying  and  calling  upon 
God.  I  also  saw  them  fall  to  the  ground,  and  lie  for  the  space  of  an 
hour  or  more,  seemingly  lifeless.  Again,  after  dinner,  the  trumpet 
sounded  for  preaching;  and  again  they  were  all  collected  together  before 
the  preaching  stand  to  hear  preaching.  The  rule  of  the  meeting  is, 
that  when  the  trumpet  sounds  in  the  morning  at  sunrise,  it  is  for  them 
to  get  up;  when  it  sounds  from  the  stand,  it  is  for  family  prayer; 
when  it  sounds  from  the  stand  again,  it  is  for  preaching.  The  males 
and  females  are  separated  at  preaching,  the  men  on  one  side,  and  the 
women  on  the  other.  The  meeting  lasts  about  five  days,  and  at  the 
close  of  this  meeting  there  were  forty  five  awakened. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Farm  Life — Religious  Impressions — Return  to  New  York — My  First 
Situation  and  Lodgings — Friends — Extracts  from  Letters — Change 
of  Employment — Arrival  of  my  Mother  and  Sister — Housekeep- 
ing— Lack  of  Work — A  Hard  Winter — My  Mother's  Sickness — 
Spring — Better  Times. 

WE  went  to  a  farm  in  Oneida  County,  where  I  re- 
mained two  years,  during  which  period  I  was  never 
sent  to  either  a  Sabbath  or  day  school.  I  felt  this 
much,  as  I  had  an  ardent  desire  to  acquire  knowl- 
edge, and,  tiring  of  so  unprofitable  a  life,  and  perceiv- 
ing also,  that  no  chance  existed  of  my  being  taught 
a  trade,  I  sold  a  knife  for  the  purpose  of  paying  the 
postage  of  a  letter  to  my  father,  in  which  I  asked  his 
permission  to  go  to  New  York,  and  learn  a  trade.  I 
sent  off  this  letter  clandestinely,  because,  hitherto, 
all  my  letters  home  had  been  perused  by  my  guar- 
dians before  they  were  dispatched,  and  I  did  not  wish 
their  interference  in  this  matter.  In  due  time  I  re- 
ceived a  reply  to  my  letter.  My  father  said  that  I 
was  old  enough  now  to  judge  for  myself.  I  might 
act  according  to  the  dictates  of  my  own  judgment. 
Glad  enough  was  I  to  have  my  fate  in  my  own  hands, 
as  it  were,  and  on.  the  12th  of  December,  1831,  I 
quitted  Oneida  County  for  New  York  City.  It  may 
easily  be  imagined,  that  I  left  my  situation  with  but 
very  little  regret,  for,  although  by  some  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  family  I  was  treated  with  consideration 


62  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF   JOHX   B.  GOUGIL 

and  kindness,  yet  from  those  to  whom  I  naturally 
looked  for  comfort  and  solace,  I  experienced  treat- 
ment far  different  from  that  which  my  father  antici- 
pated, when  he  intrusted  me  to  their  guardianship. 
Here,  I  beg  to  make  a  remark,  which  is  rendered  nec- 
essary from  the  fact  of  it  having  been  stated  that  I 
have  represented  the  family  as  dissipated  and  drunken. 
Such  a  report  never  was  made  by  me  at  any  time,  or 
in  any  place ;  nor  did  there  exist  foundation  for  such 
a  rumor.  Whisky  and  cider  were  used  by  the  fam- 
ily, but  not  to  excess.  In  pure  self-defense,  I  make 
this  statement.  I  should  not  have  referred  to  this 
subject,  had  not  a  meddlesome  fellow  in  New  York 
City  busied  himself  about  iny  affairs,  impeached  my 
veracity,  and  imputed  to  me  motives  which  I  never 
entertained. 

Whilst  with  the  family  referred  to,  a  revival  of 
religion  occurred  in  our  neighborhood.  My  mind 
was  much  impressed,  and  I  was  admitted  a  member, 
on  probation,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

On  my  arrival  in  New  York,  I  had  half  a  dollar 
only  in  my  pocket;  and  all  the  goods  I  possessed  in 
the  world  were  contained  in  a  little  trunk,  which  I 
carried.  I  stood  at  the  foot  of  Cortlandt  Street,  after 
I  left  the  boat.  Hundreds  of  people  went  b}-,  on 
busy  feet,  heedless  of  me,  and  I  felt  desolate  indeed. 
But,  amidst  all  my  lonely  sorrow,  the  religious  im- 
pressions I  have  just  referred  to, — and  more  especially 
those  which  I  had  derived  from  the  instructions  of  my 
beloved  mother, — afforded  some  rays  of  consolation, 
which  glimmered  through  the  gloom.  Whilst  I  was 
standing,  pondering  whither  I  should  bend  my  steps, 
a  man  came  up  to  me,  and  asked  where  he  should 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      63 

carry  my  trunk.  Then,  indeed,  the  strong  sense  of 
my  forlornness  came  to  me,  and  I  scarcely  ever  re- 
member to  have  experienced  more  bitterness  of  spirit 
than  on  that  occasion.  Fancy  me,  reader !  a  boy,  but 
fourteen  years  of  age,  a  stranger,  in  a  strange  city; 
with  no  one  to  guide  him,  none  to  advise,  and  not  a 
single  soul  to  love,  or  to  be  loved  by.  There  I  was, 
three  thousand  miles  distant  from  home  and  friends; 
a  "waif  on  life's  wave,"  solitary  in  the  midst  of  thou- 
sands, and  with  a  heart  yearning  for  kindly  sympathy, 
but  finding  none.  Whilst  musing  on  my  fortunes,  all 
at  once  the  following  passage  entered  my  mind,  and 
afforded  me  consolation :  "  Trust  in  the  Lord,  and  do 
good;  so  shalt  thou  dwell  in  the  land,  and  verily  thou 
shalt  be  fed."  Shouldering  my  trunk,  I  entered  the 
city ;  and  having  left  my  load  in  charge  of  a  person, 
I  repaired  to  the  Brown  Jug,  a  public  house  in  Pearl  - 
Street;  in  which  place  I  remained  until  the  Monday 
morning  following,  when  I  was  recommended  to  apply 
to  the  venerable  Mr.  Dando,  who  was  then  the  agent 
of  the  Christian  Advocate  and  Journal.  To  this  gen- 
tleman I  told  my  story ;  after  hearing  which,  he  went 
with  me  to  the  Methodist  Book  Concern  (then  situ- 
ated in  Crosby  Street),  where,  after  some  conversa- 
tion, I  was  engaged  to  attend  on  the  next  Wednesday, 
as  errand  boy,  and  to  learn  the  book-binding  business; 
and,  for  my  services,  to  receive  two  dollars  and  twenty- 
five  cents  per  week,  and  to  board  myself.  Mr.  Dando 
recommended  me  as  a  boarder  to  a  Mrs.  M.,  in  Wil- 
liam Street,  at  the  rate  of  two  dollars  weekly ;  and 
low  as  were  the  terms,  the  reader  will  presently  agree 
with  me  in  thinking  that  it  was  far  too  much  for  the 
accommodation  I  received.  To  my  surprise,  I  found 


64      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  COUGH. 

when  the  hour  of  rest  approached,  that  I  was  to  share 
a  bed  with  an  Irishman,  who  was  lying  very  sick  of 
fever  and  ague.  The  poor  fellow  told  me  his  little 
history ;  I  experienced  the  truth  of  the  saying,  that 
"poverty  makes  us  acquainted  with  strange  bed-fel- 
lows." He  had  emigrated  to  America,  been  attacked 
with  the  disease  I  have  mentioned,  and  now  was  out 
of  money,  but  daily  in  the  expectation  of  receiving 
some  from  his  friends.  My  companion  shivered  so 
much,  and  was  so  restless  during  the  night,  that  I 
was  wretchedly  disturbed;'  and  next  day,  I  told  my 
landlady  that  I  could  not  possibly  sleep  in  the  same 
bed  with  the  Irishman  again.  Accordingly,  the  next 
night,  she  made  me  up  a  wretched  couch,  in  the  same 
room,  under  the  rafters.  It  was  hard  enough,  and 
what  is  called  a  cat's-tail  bed ;  and  so  miserably  sit- 
uated was  it,  that  when  I  stretched  my  hand  out,  to 
pull  up  the  scanty  supply  of  bed-clothes,  my  fingers 
would  encounter  the  half  glutinous  webs  of  spiders, — a 
species  of  insect,  to  which  I  have  had  from  childhood 
(and  still  have),  an  unaccountable,  but  deep-rooted  an- 
tipathy. Weary  as  I  was,  from  want  of  sleep  on  the 
preceding  night, I  soon  fell  asleep  in  my  uneasy  bed; 
but  in  the  dead  of  the  night,  frightful  groans  uttered 
by  my  sick  companion  woke  me.  I  started  and  found, 
to  my  surprise,  that  the  man  was  up.  I  was  dread- 
fully frightened,  more  especially  as  he  informed  me 
that  he  feared  he  was  going  to  die.  I  asked  him  to 
let  me  call  assistance;  but  he  positively  forbade  it, 
and  then  went  and  sat  on  the  side  of  the  bed.  And 
never  had  I  heard  such  agonizing  exclamations,  as 
broke  from  the  lips  of  that  dying  man,  as  he  called 
with  terrible  earnestness,  on  Christ  to  save  him,  and 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      65 

on  God  to  be  merciful  to  him.  He  seemed  anxious 
to  know  the  hour.  I  told  him  I  thought  it  was  near 
morning,  as  the  cock  had  crowed.  After  some  more 
moaning  noises,  he  suddenly  fell  back  on  the  bed.  I 
heard  a  rattling,  gurgling  sound ;  and  then  all  was  si- 
lent. I  felt  the  man  was  dead,  although  I  could  not 
see  him,  and  knew  that  I  was  alone  with  Death,  for 
the  first  time.  0 !  how  slowly  dragged  on  the  hours 
until  dawn;  and,  when  the  faint  light  struggled 
through  a  little  window  in  the  roof,  and  gradually 
brought  out  the  walls  and  furniture  from  the  gloom, 
there  lay  the  dead  man  on  his  back,  his  mouth  wide 
open,  and  his  eyes  glazed,  but  staring  only  as  dead 
eyes  can.  With  a  desperate  effort,  I  started  from  my 
bed,  gathered  my  clothes  in  a  bundle,  dressed  myself 
outside  the  room  door,  and  roused  the  woman  of  the 
house.  She  received  the  intelligence  with  about  as 
much  composure  as  if  Death  had  paid  her  house  an 
expected  and  customary  visit,  and  only  remarked, 
"Well,  dear  soul!  he  was  very  patient,  and  is  gone  to 
glory."  After  the  poor  man's  death,  his  expected 
funds  arrived ;  but,  alas !  too  late.  This  was  my  first 
experience  in  a  cheap  boarding-house  in  New  York ; 
but  not  the  last,  by  any  means.  For  lack  of  comfort, 
for  want  of  all  that  makes  life  enjoyable,  a  cheap 
boarding-house  in  New  York — and  I  presume  else- 
where— stands  pre-eminent.  I  soon  afterwards  went 
to  my  work,  and  my  business  was  to  pack  up  bundles 
of  books  for  Cincinnati.  As  I  was  working,  I  fell  into 
a  train  of  thought  respecting  my  desolate  situation; 
and,  as  I  mused,  the  scalding  tears  fell  in  large  drops 
on  the  paper  I  was  using.  Into  the  very  depths  of 
my  sorrow  a  kind  heart  looked ;  for,  whilst  I  was 


C6  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF  JOIIX   B.  GOUGH. 

weeping,  a  young  lady  came  to  me,  and  asked  me 
what  was  the  matter  ?  Her  tone  of  kindness  and  look 
of  sympathy,  won  my  confidence,  and  I  informed  her 
of  the  particulars  of  my  little  history.  When  I  had 
finished  my  tale,  she  said,  "Poor  distressed  child!  you 
shall  go  home  with  me  to-night."  I  did  so;  and,  when 
I  arrived  at  her  house,  I  saw  her  mother,  who  was  en- 
gaged in  frying  cakes  on  the  stove.  The  young  girl 
took  her  mother  aside,  into  an  inner  room,  and  pres- 
ently, the  latter  came  out,  and  said  to  me,  "Poor  boy! 
I  will  be  a  mother  to  you."  These  words  fell  like  re- 
freshing dew  on  my  young  heart ;  and  mother  and 
sister,  indeed,  did  the  benevolent  Mrs.  Egbert  and  her 
daughter  prove  to  me.  Soon  after  this,  I  joined  the 
church  in  Allen  Street;  and,  after  remaining  with  the 
Egberts  some  months,  I  removed  and  boarded  with 
my  class-leader,  Mr.  Anson  Willis,  and  afterwards,  with 
a  Mrs.  Ketchum.  Some  gentlemen  connected  with 
the  Methodist  Church,  made  propositions  for  my 
education.  I  give  the  extract  from  a  letter  I  wrote 
home  on  the  occasion,  dated  February  18, 1832: — 

The  people  of  God  have  taken  notice  of  me.  The  minister  of  Allen 
Street  Church  sent  for  me,  and  told  me,  that  since  the  ministers  and 
leaders  had  heard  me  speak  in  a  love-feast,  they  thought  the  Lord  had 
blessed  me  with  abilities  for  some  purpose,  therefore  they  had  it  under 
consideration,  to  give  me  a  good  and  liberal  education.  He  asked  to 
see  my  writing,  and  told  me  I  wrote  very  well.  Soon  after,  at  a  lead- 
ers' meeting,  it  was  proposed  to  send  me,  for  a  year,  to  Wilbraham,  in 
Massachusetts,  and  then  three  years  to  Middletown  College,  in  Connec- 
ticut, to  educate,  if  the  Lord  should  call  me,  to  be  a  minister.  If  not, 
they  would  provide  me  with  a  profitable  situation.  All  my  friends 
think  it  a  grand  offer,  and  will  be  productive  of  great  good  to  me,  and 
prepare  me  for  a  life  of  usefulness  in  the  world.  So  you  see  the  Lord 
has  not  brought  me  so  far  for  no  purpose.  I  think  you  can  have  no 
objection,  as  I  believe  it  is  the  hand  of  the  Lord.  Write  to  me,  etc. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF  JOIIX   B.  GOUGH.  G7 

I  received  a  reply  to  this,  dated  April,  1832,  in 
which,  after  expressing  her  gratitude  to  those  who 
had  shown  me  kindness,  my  dear  mother  writes : — 

My  dear  child,  you  have  nothing  but  what  you*  have  received  as  a 
free  gift  from  the  Almighty.  Every  talent  you  possess  is  His,  given 
you  to  be  employed  for  His  glory,  and  your  own  everlasting  good,  and 
of  which  He  will  require  an  account  in  that  day,  when  the  sons  of  Adam 
shall  stand  before  Him.  Oh !  that  you  may  be  prepared  to  give  it  with 
ioy,  and  hear  the  welcome,  "Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant," — 
and  your  mother's  heart  can  wish  for  no  more.  Excuse,  my  dear  boy, 
these  cautions;  I  have  never  witnessed  anything  in  your  conduct,  or 
noticed  anything  in  your  letters,  that  has  caused  me  to  fear  for  you ;  but 
I  know  you  have  an  arch  enemy  to  contend  with,  who,  if  he  cannot 
destroy,  will  distress,  and  endeavor  to  hinder  your  comfort  and  useful- 
ness ;  and  you  will  find  you  have  need  in  every  step  of  your  Christian 
pilgrimage,  to  say,  "Lord,  hold  thou  me  up,  and  I  shall  be  safe;"  and 
if  you  trust  Him,  watching  with  prayer,  you  will  ever  find,  "As  your 
day  is,  so  shall  your  strength  be;  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath 
spoken  it." 

My  father  also  wrote  me,  very  affectionately,  with 
good  advice  in  reference  to  the  prospects  held  out 
before  me,  and  giving  his  consent;  but  before  these 
letters  reached  me,  circumstances — or  rather,  a  combi- 
nation of  circumstances  —  led  to  the  project  being 
abandoned  ;  to  my  withdrawing  from  the  church;  and, 
shortly  after  that,  to  leaving  the  Book  Concern  in 
Mulberry  Street,  and  finding  employment  elsewhere, 
sp  that  my  hope  of  obtaining  an  education  fell  to 
the  ground,  and  from  that  time,  I  gave  up  all  expecta- 
tion of  ever  attaining  to  it.  I  obtained  employment 
with  N.  J.  White  (I  think  at  the  corner  of  William  and 
Pearl  Streets),  and,  as  my  prospects1  were  improving,  I 
sent  for  my  father,  mother,  and  sister  to  join  me  in 
this  country ;  though  I  must  say,  that  being  exposed  to 
temptation,  I  had  become  careless  and  thoughtless 


68      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

about  religious  things.      On  Saturday  afternoon,  in 
August,  1833,  this  note  was  brought  to  me : — 

THURSDAY. 

My  Dear  Boy, — Your  sister  and  I  are  on  board  the  President  packet. 
Come  on  board  as  sofcn  as  she  comes  into  dock.  We  are  well.  Your 
affectionate  mother,  JANE  GOUGH. 

I  immediately  left  my  work,  intending  to  go  to 
them,  and  was  on  my  way  down  Fulton  Street,  when 
the  sole  of  my  shoe  got  loose,  and  I  stepped  into  the 
bindery  of  Burlock  &  Wilbur  (where  I  had  directed 
my  relatives  to  call  on  their  arrival)  to  get  a  knife  to 
cut  it  off,  when  I  learned  that  rny  mother  had  called 
at  the  store,  a  short  time  before,  and  had  left  to  go  to 
William  Street.  I  turned  into  that  thoroughfare,  and 
saw  a  little  woman,  rapidly  walking,  whom  I  recog- 
nized as  her  of  whom  I  was  in  search.  She  looked 
every  now  and  then,  at  a  slip  of  paper,  which  she 
held  in  her  hand,  and  frequently  glanced  from  it  to 
the  fronts  of  the  houses,  as  if  to  ascertain  some  par- 
ticular number.  Much  as  I  desired  to  speak  to  her, 
I  thought  I  would  try  whether  she  would  recognize 
me  or  not;  so  I  went  behind  her,  passed  on  a  little 
way,  then  turned  and  met  her;  but  she  did  not  ob- 
serve who  I  was.  I  again  went  behind  her,  and  ex- 
claimed, "Mother!"  At  the  well-known  sound,  she 
turned,  and  in  an  instant  she  had  clasped  me  in  her . 
arms,  and  embraced  me  in  a  very  maternal  manner 
— heedless  of  the  staring  passers-by,  who  were  very 
little  used  to  having  such  public  displays  of  affection 
provided  for  their  amusement.  I  returned  with  my 
mother  to  the  barge,  in  order  to  get  her  luggage ; 
and,  when  there,  was  surprised  by  a  great  girl  jump- 
ing into  my  arms,  who  was  so  altered  from  the  time  I 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      69 

saw  her  last,  that  I  had  some  difficulty  in  recognizing 
my  sister.  My  father  did  not  accompany  his  wife 
and  daughter,  for  he  was  loth  to  lose  his  hard-earned 
pension,  and  was  in  hopes  to  effect  a  commutation 
with  the  government,  and  receive  a  certain  sum,  in 
lieu  of  an  annual  payment. 

At  that  time  I  was  in  the  receipt  of  three  dollars 
a  week,  wherewith  to  support  myself;  and,  with  the 
few  articles  my  mother  brought  over,  we  went  to 
housekeeping.  0 !  how  happy  did  I  feel  that  even- 
ing, when  my  mother  first  made  tea  in  our  own 
home.  Our  three  cups  and  saucers  made  quite  a 
grand  show,  and,  in  imagination,  we  were  rich  in 
viands,  although  our  meal  was  frugal  enough. 

Thus  we  lived  comfortably  together,  nothing  of 
note  occurring,  until  the  November  following;  when, 
owing  to  a  want  of  business,  and  the  general  pressure 
of  the  times,  I  was  dismissed  from  my  place  of  work. 
This  was  a  severe  blow  to  us  all,  and  its  force  was  in- 
creased, by  my  sister,  who  was  a  straw-bonnet  maker, 
also  losing  her  employment.  Our  rent  was  a  dollar 
and  a  quarter  per  week;  but,  finding  it  necessary  to 
retrench  in  our  expenditure,  we  gave  up  our  two 
rooms,  and  made  one  answer  our  purpose;  dividing 
it  into  compartments  at  night,  by  hanging  up  a  tem- 
porary curtain.  Our  rent  was  now  reduced  to  fifty 
cents  a  week,  and  all  our  goods  and  chattels  were 
contained  in  the  garret,  which  we  continued  to  occupy 
until  my  mother's  death. 

Things  gradually  grew  worse  and  worse.  Winter, 
in  all  its  terrors,  was  coming  on  us,  who  were  ill  pre- 
pared for  it.  To  add  to  our  troubles,  wood,  during 
that  season,  was  very  high  in  price;  and,  in  addition 


TO      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

to  want,  we  suffered  dreadfully  with  cold.  I  obtained 
employment  only  at  uncertain  intervals,  and  for  short 
periods,  as  errand  boy  in  a  bookstore,  in  Nassau 
Street,  and  in  a  bindery;  but,  even  with  this  aid,  we 
were  sorely  off,  and  painfully  pinched.  Thus  was  the 
whole  of  that  dreary  winter  one  continued  scene  of 
privation.  Our  sorrows  were  aggravated  by  my  poor 
mother's  sickness,  and  our  apparel  began  to  grow 
wretchedly  scanty.  I  remember  my  mother  once 
wishing  for  some  broth,  made  from  mutton.  Not  be- 
ing able  to  bear  that  she  should  want  for  anything  she 
required,  I  took  my  best  coat,  and,  having  pawned  it, 
procured  her  some  meat,  and  thus  supplied  her  wants, 
so  far  as  practicable.  Often  and  often  have  I,  when 
we  were  destitute  of  wood,  and  had  no  money  to 
procure  any,  gone  a  mile  or  two  into  the  country, 
and  dragged  home  such  pieces  as  I  might  find  lying 
about  the  sides  of  the  road.  Food,  too,  was  some- 
times wanting;  and  once,  seeing  my  mother  in  tears, 
I  ascertained  that  we  had  no  bread  in  the  house.  I 
could  not  bear  the  sight  of  such  distress,  and  wan- 
dered down  a  street,  sobbing  as  I  went.  A  stranger 
accosted  me,  and  asked  me  what  was  the  matter? 

"I'm  hungry,"  said  I;  "and  so  is  my  mother." 
"Well,"  said  the  stranger,  "I  can't  do  much;  but  I'll 
help  you  a  little ;"  and  when  I  took  the  three-cent  loaf 
of  bread  he  had  given  me  home,  my  mother  placed 
the  Bible  on  our  old  rickety  pine  table,  and,  having 
opened  it,  read  a  portion  of  Scripture,  and  then  we 
knelt  down,  thanking  God  for  his  goodness,  and  ask- 
ing his  blessing  on  what  we  were  about  to  partake 
of.  All  these  sufferings  and  privations  my  poor 
mother  bore  with  Christian  resignation,  and  never 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OJ1   JOHN   B.  GOUGH.  71 

did  she  repine  through  all  that  dreary  season.  It  was 
indeed  a  hard  winter.  Often  have  I  gone  through 
the  streets  asking  for  work. 

"Please  let  me  saw  your  wood?" 

"Where  are  your  buck  and  saw?" 

"I  have  none." 

"You  can't  saw  wood  without  a  saw." 

"Please  let  me  carry  down  your  coal  to  the  cellar?" 

"Where  are  your  shovel  and  basket?" 

"I  have  none." 

And  so  I  lost  many  a  job  for  the  lack  of  implements 
and  tools.  Those  who  have  never  experienced  hard- 
ships like  these,  cannot  understand  the  bitterness  of 
our  lives  all  through  that  terrible  winter.  As  the 
spring  came  on,  both  my  sister  and  myself  got  em- 
ployment again,  and  our  situation  was  bettered  for  a 
time.  I  now  earned  four  dollars  and  a  half  a  week, 
and  was  enabled  to  redeem  my  coat.  A  happy  day 
was  that,  when  putting  it  on,  I  went,  with  my  sister, 
to  a  place  of  worship.  I  would  here  mention,  that 
during  all  that  hard  winter,  we  received  no  charitable 
assistance  from  any  source.  Once,  and  only  once,  my 
mother  spoke  of  some  wood  which  was  to  be  given 
to  the  poor  at  the  City  Hall;  but  I  refused  to  allow 
her  to  apply  for  relief  there;  knowing  well,  that  she 
would  be  subjected  to  the  insulting  questions  of  hard- 
hearted officials,  who  took  advantage  of  their  office, 
to  insult  the  unfortunate  children  of  penury.  Pity 
it  is,  that  kind  actions  cannot  always  be  performed  in 
a  kindly  spirit;  but  too  often,  such  is  not  the  case  in 
this  cold-hearted  world.  Glad  to  this  day,  am  I,  that 
I  prevented  her  from  being  mortified  by  a  contumely, 
which  I  cannot  bear  to  think  she  should  have  borne. 


CHAPTER  V. 

My  Mother's  Death — Burial — Separation  of  my  Sister  and  Myself — 
Visit  to  the  Farm — Return  to  New  York — My  Companions  and 
Amusements — Growing  Dissipation — Removal  to  Bristol — To  Prov- 
idence— First  Attempt  on  the  Stage — Experience  in  Boston — Work 
in  Newburyport — Fishing  Voyage — Narrow  Escape — Return  Home 
— Storm  at  Sea — Jake's  Terror — Arrival  at  Newburyport — Mar- 
riage— Housekeeping — Voyage  to  Bay  of  Fundy. 

AND  now  comes  one  of  the  most  terrible  events 
of  my  history.  An  event  which  almost  bowed  me  to 
the  dust.  The  summer  of  1834  was  exceedingly  hot, 
and  as  our  room  was  immediately  under  the  roof, 
which  had  but  one  small  window  in  it,  the  heat  was 
almost  intolerable,  and  my  mother  suffered  much  from 
this  cause.  On  the  8th  of  July,  a  day  more  than 
usually  warm,  she  complained  of  debility,  but  as  she 
had  before  suffered  from  weakness,  I  was  not  appre- 
hensive of  danger,  and  saying  I  would  go  and  bathe, 
asked  her  to  provide  me  some  rice  and  milk,  against 
seven  or  eight  o'clock,  when  I  should  return.  That 
day  my  spirits  were  unusually  exuberant;  I  laughed 
and  sung  with  my  young  companions,  as  if  not  a  cloud 
was  to  be  seen  in  all  my  sky,  when  one  was  then 
gathering  which  was  shortly  to  burst  in  fatal  thunder 
over  my  head.  About  eight  o'clock  I  returned  home, 
and  was  going  up  the  steps,  whistling  as  I  went,  when 
my  sister  met  me  at  the  threshold,  and  seizing  me  by 
the  hand,  exclaimed,  "John,  mother's  dead!"  What 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      73 

I  did,  what  I  said,  I  cannot  remember;  but  they 
told  me  afterwards,  that  I  grasped  my  sister's  arm, 
laughed  frantically  in  her  face,  and  then  for  some 
minutes  seemed  stunned  by  the  dreadful  intelligence. 
As  soon  as  they  permitted  me,  I  visited  our  garret, — 
now  a  chamber  of  death, — and  there  on  the  floor  lay 
all  that  remained  of  her  whom  I  had  loved  so  well, 
and  who  had  been  a  friend  when  all  others  had  for- 
saken me.  There  she  lay,  her  face  tied  up  with  a 
handkerchief: — 

*'  By  foreign  hands  her  aged  eyes  were  closed ; 
By  foreign  hands  her  decent  limbs  composed." 

Oh !  how  vividly  came  then  to  my  mind, — as  I  took 
her  cold  hand  in  mine,  and  gazed  earnestly  in  her 
quiet  face, — all  her  meek,  enduring  love,  her  uncom- 
plaining spirit,  her  devotedness  to  her  husband  and 
children.  All  was  now  over ;  and  yet,  as  through  the 
livelong  night  I  sat  at  her  side, — a  solitary  watcher  by 
the  dead, — I  felt  somewhat  resigned  to  the  dispensa- 
tion of  providence,  and  was  almost  thankful  that  she 
was  taken  from  the  "  evil  to  come."  Sorrow  and  suf- 
fering had  been  her  lot  through  life ;  now  she  was 
freed  from  both ;  and,  loving  her  as  I  did,  I  found  con- 
solation in  thinking  that  she  was  "  not  lost,  but  gone 
before." 

I  have  intimated  that  I  sat  all  night,  watching  my 
mother's  cold  remains.  Such  was  literally  the  fact. 
I  held  her  dead  hand  in  mine,  till  it  seemed  almost  to 
be  growing  warm,  and  none  but  myself  and  God  can 
tell  what  a  night  of  agony  that  was.  The  people  of 
the  house  accommodated  my  sister  below.  When 
the  morning  dawned  in  my  desolate  chamber,  I  ten- 
derly placed  the  passive  hand  by  my  mother's  side, 


74      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

and  wandered  out,  into  the  as  yet,  almost  quiet  streets. 
I  turned  my  face  towards  the  wharf,  and,  arrived  there, 
sat  down  by  the  dock,  gazing  with  melancholy 
thoughts  upon  the  glancing  waters.  All  that  had 
passed  seemed  to  me  like  a  fearful  dream,  and  with 
difficulty  could  I,  at  certain  intervals,  convince  my- 
self that  my  mother's  death  was  a  fearful  reality.  An 
hour  or  two  passed  away  in  this  dreamy,  half-delirious 
state  of  mind,  and  then,  I  involuntarily  proceeded 
slowly  toward  my  wretched  home.  I  had  eaten 
nothing  since  the  preceding  afternoon ;  but  hunger 
seemed,  like  my  other  senses,  to  have  become  torpid. 
On  my  arrival  at  our  lodgings,  I  found  that  a  coroner's 
inquest  had  been  held  on  my  mother's  corpse,  and  a 
note  had  been  left  by  the  official,  which  stated  that  it 
must  be  interred  by  noon  of  the  following  day.  What 
was  I  to  do  ?  I  had  no  money,  no  friends,  and,  what 
was  perhaps  worse  than  all,  none  to  sympathize  with 
myself  and  my  sister,  but  the  people  about  us,  who 
could  afford  the  occasional  exclamation,  "Poor  things!" 
Again  I  wandered  into  the  streets,  without  any  defi- 
nite object  in  view.  I  had  a  vague  idea  that  my 
mother  was  dead,  and  must  be  buried,  and  little  feel- 
ing beyond  that.  At  times,  I  even  forgot  this  sad  re- 
ality. Weary  and  dispirited,  I  at  last  once  more 
sought  my  lodgings,  where  my  sister  had  been 
anxiously  watching  for  me.  I  learned  from  her, 
that  during  my  absence,  some  persons  had  brought 
a  pine  box  to  the  house,  into  which  they  had  placed 
my  mother's  body,  and  taken  it  off  in  a  cart,  for 
interment.  They  had  but  just  gone,  she  said.  I  told 
her  that  we  must  go  and  see  mother  buried ;  and  we 
hastened  after  the  vehicle,  which  we  soon  overtook. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      75 

There  was  no  "pomp  and  circumstance"  about 
that  humble  funeral ;  but  never  went  a  mortal  to  the 
grave,  who  had  been  more  truly  loved,  and  was  then 
more  sincerely  lamented,  than  the  silent  traveler 
towards  Potter's  Field,  the  place  of  her  interment. 
Only  two  lacerated*  and  bleeding  hearts  mourned  for 
her.  But,  as  the  almost  unnoticed  procession  passed 
through  the  streets,  tears  of  more  genuine  sorrow 
were  shed,  than  frequently  fall  when — 

"  Some  proud  child  of  earth  returns  to  dust." 

'We  soon  reached  the  burying-ground.  In  the 
same  cart  with  my  mother,  was  another  mortal  whose 
spirit  had  put  on  immortality.  A  little  child's  coffin 
lay  beside  that  of  her  who  had  been  a  sorrowful  pil- 
grim for  many  years,  and  both  now  were  about  to  lie 
side  by  side  in  the  "  narrow  house."  When  the  in- 
fant's coffin  was  taken  from  the  cart,  my  sister  burst 
into  tears,  and  the  driver,  a  rough-looking  fellow,  with 
a  kindness  of  manner  that  touched  us,  remarked  to 
her,  "  Poor  little  thing ;  'tis  better  off  where  'tis."  I 
undeceived  him  in  his  idea  as  to  this  supposed  rela- 
tionship of  the  child,  and  informed  him  that  it  was 
not  a  child,  but  our  mother,  for  whom  we  mourned. 
My  mother's  coffin  was  then  taken  out  and  placed 
in  a  trench,  and  a  little  dirt  was  thinly  sprinkled 
over  it. 

So  was  she  buried !   without  a  shroud ;   her  shoes 

» 

on  her  feet.  One  of  God's  creatures — an  affection- 
ate wife,  a  devoted  mother,  a  faithful  friend,  and  a 
poor  Christian ;  that's  all !  So  there  was  no  burial 
service  read ;  into  that  trench  she  was  thrown  with- 
out a  prayer ;  and  that  was  the  end,  after  a  long  life 


76      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

of  faithful  work  for  others — a  life  of  patient  struggle, 
fighting  nobly,  lovingly,  and  hopefully  the  battle  of 
life.  This  was  the  end.  No,  no,  thank  God  !  no,  not 
the  end.  Her  worn  body  rests  in  hope,  and  he  who 
wept  at  the  grave  of  Lazarus,  watches  the  sleeping 
dust  of  his  servant.  Yes,  life  ahd  immortality  are 
brought  to  light  through  the  gospel.  My  poor  mother 
sleeps  as  sweetly  as  if  entombed  in  a  marble  sar- 
cophagus; and,  thank  God,  she  will  rise  as  gloriously 
when  "  He  who  became  the  first  fruits  of  them  that 
slept,"  shall  call  his  humble  disciple  to  come  and  "be 
forever  with  the  Lord." 

From  that  great  Golgotha  we  went  forth  together, 
and,  unheeded  by  the  bustling  crowd,  proceeded  sadly 
to  our  now  desolate  chamber,  where  we  sat  down 
and  gazed  vacantly  around  the  deserted  room.  One 
by  one,  the  old  familiar  objects  attracted  our  notice. 
Among  other  articles,  a  little  saucepan  remained  on 
the  extinguished  embers  in  the  grate,  with  rice  and 
milk  burned  to  its  bottom!  This  was  what  my 
mother  was  preparing  for  me,  against  my  return  from 
bathing;  and  the  sight  renewed  my  remembrances  of 
her  care,  which  it  so  happened  was  exercised  for  me 
in  her  latest  moments.  I  afterwards  was  informed 
that  she  was  found  dead  on  the  floor,  by  a  young  man 
who  passed  our  room  door,  on  the  way  to  his  own, 
and  saw  her  lying  there.  She  seemed  to  have  been 
engaged  in  splitting  a  piece  of  pine  wood  with  a  knife, 
and  it  is  supposed  that,  whilst  stooping  over  it  and 
forcing  down  the  knife,  she  was  seized  with  apoplexy, 
and  immediately  expired. 

Whilst  we  were  sadly  contemplating  our  situation 
and  circumstances,  and  calling  to  mind  many  sayings 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      77 

and  doings  of  our  dear  mother,  I  began  to  think  about 
our  future  course,  and  said  to  my  sister: — 
"Now,  Mary,  what  shall  we  do?"  , 

She  remarked  something,  I  forget  what;  and  I,  in 
turn,  made  an  observation  to  the  effect — as  well  as  I 
can  remember — that  we  could  take  all  our  furniture 
on  our  backs;  when  we,  both  of  us,  broke  out  into  a 
violent  fit  of  laughter,  which  lasted  for  several  min- 
utes; and  I  never,  either  before  or  since,  remember 
to  have  been  more  unable  to  control  myself.  It 
was  a  strange  thing  to  hear  that  hitherto  silent  cham- 
ber— in  which  for  hours,  we  had  scarcely  spoken  above 
a  whisper — echoing  such  unaccustomed  sounds.  But 
so  it  was;  and  I  am  unable  to  explain  why,  unless  it 
be  on  the  principle  of  reaction.  And  yet  it  was  not 
the  laugh  of  joy;  but  more  like  the  fearfully  hysteri- 
cal mirth  of  saddened  hearts,  in  which,  for  the  time, 
all  the  feelings  of  youth  had  been  imprisoned,  but  by 
one  wild  effort  had  broken  forth,  shouting  with  natu- 
ral but  unbidden  glee. 

On  that  Wednesday  night,  I  could  not  bear  to  re- 
main in  the  house ;  so  I  sauntered  out,  and  passed  the 
long  hours  of  darkness  in  the  streets, — to  lie  down  I 
felt  was  impossible,  so  great  was  my  weight  of  woe. 
The  next  day  I  passed  wearily  enough,  and  at  night  1 
obtained  a  little  sleep;  but  from  the  afternoon  of  my 
mother's  death,  not  a  morsel  of  food  had  passed  iny 
lips.  I  loathed  food ;  and  it  was  not  until  the  follow- 
ing Friday  evening  that  I  was  persuaded  to  take  any. 
Every  thing  about  us,  so  forcibly  and  painfully  re- 
minded us  of  her  we  had  lost,  that  my  sister  and  my- 
self determined  to  remove  from  our  lodgings;  and, 
having  disposed  of  our  feather-bed,  and  a  few  little 


78  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF   JOHN   B.  GOUG1I. 

matters,  to  the  woman  of  the  house,  we  paid  a  week's 
board  in  advance  at  a  house  in  Spring  Street.  I  now 
began  to  feel  the  effects  of  my  night  watchings  and 
neglect  of  food,  and  was  taken  so  sick,  that  a  city 
physician  attended  me  for  three  or  four  days.  As 
soon  as  I  recovered,  I  inquired  for  my  old  and  kind 
friends,  the  Egberts.  They  were  in  the  city,  and  I 
proceeded  to  their  house,  in  Suffolk  Street,  where  I 
was  received  cordially,  and  kindly  nursed,  with  all  the 
care  of  a  mother  and  sister,  during  the  weak  time 
which  followed  my  indisposition.  My  sister  and  I  had 
separated,  as  she  boarded  where  she  worked,  in  the 
upper  part  of  the  city. 

As  soon  as  I  had  sufficiently  recovered,  I  scraped 
together  what  money  I  could,  and  went  on  a  visit  to 
the  family  with  whom  I  left  England.  With  them  I 
remained  two  months,  and  received  many  condolences 
on  the  subject  of  my  mother's  death,  and  my  lonely 
situation;  but  after,  and,  indeed,  during  this  time,  I 
could  not  help  feeling  that  my  absence  would  not  be 
regretted,  so  I  made  preparations  for  quitting  them. 
Whilst  in  the  country,  I  spent  a  few  days  with  Mr. 
Elijah  Hunt,  who,  together  with  Mrs.  Hunt,  were 
very  kind  to  me.  As  my  wearing  apparel  was  get- 
ting  shabby,  Mr.  Hunt,  in  the  kindest  manner,  pro- 
vided me  with  a  twenty-five  dollar  suit,  trusting  to 
my  honor  for  repayment,  when  it  lay  in  my  power. 
Never  shall  I  forget  the  kindness  of  him  and  his  fam- 
ily to  me  at  that  time.  I  started  for  New  York  about 
September,  and  there  went  to  work  for  Mr.  John 
Gladding,  who  always  behaved  kindly  towards  me. 

The  effect  on  my  mind  of  the  experiences  I  had 
passed  through,  was  to  produce  a  bitterness  of  spirit, 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      79 

hardly  to  be  described  or  understood.  It  became  in 
me  so  fierce  that  I  must  have  wounded  the  feelings 
of  others,  often,  by  the  contempt  with  which  I  would 
speak  of  funerals  and  mourners.  Tolling  of  bells, 
and  all  ceremonies  attending  the  dead,  were  to  rne, 
subjects  of  ridicule.  I  seemed  to  lose  sympathy  with 
my  fellow-men.  My  mother  was  a  good  woman,  but 
there  was  no  burial  service  read  over  her.  I  then 
declared,  that  I  would  never  wear  a  bit  of  crape,  for 
the  loss  of  any  human  being ;  and  the  declaration 
I  then  made,  holds  good  to-day.  This  terrible  experi- 
ence produced  an  effect  on  me  that  was  never  eradi- 
cated— though  much  modified — till  the  visit  to  my 
native  village,  in  1854,  where  my  mother's  memory 
is  tenderly  cherished,  by  so  many  who  knew  her 
worth,  and  where  she  left  the  fragrance  of  a  good 
name,  that  is  fresh  to-day. 

I  boarded  in  Grand  Street  at  this  time,  and  soon 
after  laid  the  foundation  of  many  of  my  future  sor- 
rows. I  possessed  a  tolerably  good  voice,  and  sang 
pretty  well,  having  also  the  faculty  of  imitation 
rather  strongly  developed ;  and,  being  well  stocked 
with  amusing  stories,  I  was  introduced  into  the  society 
of  thoughtless  and  dissipated  young  men,  to  whom 
my  talents  made  me  welcome.  These  companions 
were  what  is  termed  respectable,  but  they  drank.  I 
now  began  to  attend  the  theaters  frequently,  and  felt 
ambitious  of  strutting  my  hour  upon  the  stage.  By 
slow  but  sure  degrees  I  forgot  the  lessons  of  wisdom 
which  rny  mother  had  taught  me,  lost  all  relish  for 
the  great  truths  of  religion,  neglected  my  devotions, 
and  considered  an  actor's  situation  to  be  the  "ne  plus 
ultra"  of  greatness. 


80      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

I  well  remember,  in  my  early  days,  having  enter- 
tained, through  the  influence  of  my  mother,  a  horror 
of  theaters;  and  once,  as  I  walked  up  the  Bowery, 
and  watched  the  multitudes  passing  to  and  fro  on  the 
steps  of  the  play-house  there, — which  I  had  mounted 
for  the  sake  of  a  better  view  of  the  busy  scene, — this- 
passage  of  Scripture  came  to  my  recollection:  "The 
glory  of  the  Lord  shall  cover  the  face  of  the  earth  as 
the  waters  cover  the  sea;"  and  I  mentally  offered  up 
a  prayer,  that  that  time  might  speedily  arrive.  Not 
very  long  afterwards, — so  low  had  I  fallen,  and  so  des- 
perately had  I  back-slidden, — that  at  the  very  door  of 
that  same  theater,  which  I  had,  five  years  before, 
wished  destroyed,  as  a  temple  of  sin,  I  stood  applying 
for  a  situation  as  actor  and  comic  singer!  No  longer 
did  I  wish  a  church  should  be  built  on  the  site  of  the 
theater;  that  very  place  of  entertainment  had  become 
at  first  a  chosen,  and  now,  to  support  excitement,  an 
almost  necessary  place  of  resort. 

I  did  not  enter  the  theater  at  this  time,  having 
failed  in  my  endeavor  to  procure  such  a  situation ; 
but  I  soon  afterwards  sung  a  comic  song,  entitled, 
"The  Water  Party,"  at  the  Franklin  Theater,  in  Chat- 
ham street,  where  William  Sefton  was  stage  manager, 
and  where  John  Sefton  made  such  a  hit  in  the  role 
of  Jemmy  Twitcher,  in  the  drama  of  the  Golden 
Farmer.  I  assumed  the  name  of  Gilbert,  and  was 
encored,  so  that  I  was  encouraged  to  pursue  the  pro- 
fession of  an  actor.  But  I  did  not  at  that  time. 

During  this  period,  I  worked  pretty  steadily  at  my 
business ;  but  such  were  my  growing  habits  of  dissi- 
pation, that,  although  receiving  five  dollars  a  week,  I 
squandered  every  cent,  and  was  continually  in  debt. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      81 

My  proceedings,  too,  became  characterized  by  a  hith- 
erto unfelt  recklessness.  One  morning  a  young  man 
came  to  me,  and  informed  me  that  a  great  fire  had 
broken  out  down  the  street.  (1  had  belonged  to  a 
volunteer  fire-engine  company,  and  also  to  a  dramatic 
society,  which  held  its  meetings  at  the  corner  of 
Anthony  Street  and  Broadway,  and  which  had  greatly 
tended  to  increase  my  habits  of  irregularity.)  I  passed 
by  the  information  lightly  and  selfishly,  saying:  "Let 
it  burn  on,  it  wont  hurt  me."  When  I  had  finished 
my  breakfast,  some  one  informed  me  the  fire  was  in 
the  neighborhood  of  the  shop  where  I  worked.  This 
alarmed  me;  and  I  proceeded  toward  my  place  of 
business,  where  I  arrived  just  in  time  to  see  the 
flames  bursting  through  the  workshop  windows.  By 
this  disaster,  although  I  had  so  little  anticipated  it,  I 
lost  what  I  could  ill  afford, — an  overcoat  and  some 
books;  and,  worse  than  this,  I  was  thrown  out  of 
employment;  so  that  I  was  injured  by  the  fire, 
which  I  had  so  confidently  thought  "could  not 
hurt  me." 

Mr.  Gladding,  after  the  fire,  determining  to  remove 
to  Bristol,  Rhode  Island,  and  set  up  in  business  there, 
invited  me  to  accompany  him.  I  therefore  left  New 
York,  and  remained  in  his  employ  for  about  a  year, 
during  which  time  nothing  of  importance  transpired. 
In  February  or  March,  1837,  however,  Mr.  Gladding 
failed,  and  as  I  was  again  obliged  to  seek  for  occupa- 
tion, I  proceeded  to  Providence,  and  there  continued 
my  drinking  habits.  I  succeeded  in  procuring  work 
at  Mr.  Brown's,  in  Market  Row,  and  experienced  much 
kindness  at  his  hands.  Here  I  might,  and  ought  to 
have  done  well,  but  for  my  unfortunate  habits  of  dis- 


82      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

sipation,  which  gradually  increased,  and  which  were 
every  day  treasuring  up  misery  for  me. 

It  happened  that,  at  this  time,  a  company  of  actors 
were  performing  at  Providence.  I  became  acquainted 
with  them,  and  being  strongly  advised  by  them  to 
make  an  essay  on  the  stage,  I  acceded  to  their  wishes, 
and  followed  my  own  inclinations  with  respect  to  the 
matter.  It  could  not  be  expected  that,  connected 
with  the  stage,  I  could  follow  steadily  a  more  sober 
occupation.  Nor  did  I:  for  I  worked  only  at  uncer- 
tain intervals,  frequently  was  absent  for  days  together, 
and,  as  a  necessary  consequence,  incurred  the  dis- 
pleasure of  my  employer,  who  soon  after  discharged 
me  from  his  shop,  on  the  ground  of  inattention  to  my 
business,  although  I  was  acknowledged  by  him  to  be 
an  excellent  workman.  I  now  entirely  gave  myself 
up  to  the  stage,  and  gained  some  reputation  for  the 
manner  in  which  I  performed  a  low  line  of  characters. 
Brilliant,  however,  as  I  thought  my  prospects  to  be, 
I  was  doomed  to  disappointment:  for,  before  long, 
the  theater  came  to  a  close,  and  I,  in  common  with 
the  other  members  of  the  company,  failed  to  receive 
remuneration  for  my  services. 

Thus  was  I  again  thrown  on  my  own  resources, 
and,  with  a  tarnished  reputation,  my  situation  was 
far  worse  than  it  had  hitherto  been.  I  tried  to  ob- 
tain employment,  but  failed;  and,  although  I  wished 
to  get  out  of  the  town,  I  was  unable  to  do  so  from 
want  of  funds.  My  clothes  had  grown  shabby, 
and  I  was  guiltless  of  wearing  more  than  one  suit. 
Worse  than  this,  my  appetite  for  strong  drink  was  in- 
creasing, and  becoming  a  confirmed  habit — the  effect 
of  almost  unlimited  indulgence.  I  was  now  reduced 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      83 

to  absolute  want.  My  boarding-house  account  had 
assumed  an  unpleasant  aspect,  and,  more  than  once, 
had  I  received  threatening  notices  to  quit.  One  night 
I  was  reduced  to  extremities,  and  so  poorly  was  I  ofi^ 
that  I  was  compelled  to  wander  about  the  streets, 
from  night  until  almost  morning,  in  order  to  keep  my- 
self warm.  In  pure  desperation,  I  repaired  to  one 
of  the  very  lowest  class  of  hotels,  where  I  obtained  a 
miserable  lodging.  It  happened,  at  this  time,  that  a 
person  visited  Providence,  who,  wanted  to  engage 
some  performers  for  a  theater  which  was  to  open,  for 
a  short  season,  in  Boston.  To  this  person,  whose  name 
was  Barry  (and  who  afterwards  was  lost,  with  his 
whole  stock  company,  whilst  going  to  Texas),  I  was 
introduced;  and  he  was,  at  the  same  time,  informed 
of  my  necessity.  Mr.  Barry,  with  a  kindness  which 
was  well  meant,  said  he  would  take  me  to  Boston  with 
him,  on  his  own  responsibility,  and  use  his  influence 
in  my  behalf.  I  left  Providence,  on  a  Sunday  morn- 
ing, and  succeeded  in  getting  an  engagement  in  Bos- 
ton, at  the  Lion  Theater,  where  I  performed  gener- 
ally, low  comedy  parts. 

Strangely  enough,  my  first  appearance  in  Boston 
was  in  the  character  of  the  keeper  of  a  temperance 
house,  in  the  play  of  "  Departed  Spirits,  or  the  Tem- 
perance Hoax,"  arranged  by  Barryrnore,  in  which 
Deacon  Moses  Grant,  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher,  and  other 
prominent  temperance  men,  were  held  up  to  ridicule. 
One  scene  in  this  play,  was  a  fire  in  the  hotel.  I 
was  called  up  at  night  by  some  travelers,  and,  holding 
a  colloquy  with  them  from  the  window,  with  a  candle 
in  my  hand,  set  fire  to  the  curtains;  a  man  behind 
me,  was  ready  with  some  "red  fire/'  as  the  curtains 


84      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

blazed, — being  wet  with  spirits  of  turpentine, — to  set 
fire  to  the  combustible  behind  me;  and  the  principal 
fun  of  the  scene  was,  when  the  engine  was  brought 
in,  with  "real  water," — so  the  play-bills  announced,  as 
a  special  feature, — and  I  got  out  of  the  window  to  be 
drenched  to  the  skin,  by  the  water  from  the  engine. 
It  was  rare  fun  to  the  audience,  and  others,  but  no 
fun  to  me,  I  assure  you ;  but  then,  I  was  engaged  at 
a  salary  of  five  dollars  per  week, — which  I  never 
received,  for  the  theater  closed  in  a  few  weeks,  and, 
deprived  of  my  pay,  I  was  once  more  thrown  like 
a  foot-ball  on  the  world's  highway,  at  the  mercy  of 
every  passing  foot. 

My  appearance  was  now  shabby  enough.  All  my 
little  stock  of  money  was  spent  as  fast  as  I  received 
it;  and,  once  more,  I  was  absolutely  in  wrant.  Like 
many  others,  similarly  circumstanced,  I  experienced, 
in  my  adversity,  kindness  from  woman.  Mrs.  Fox, 
with  whom  I  boarded,  was  quite  aware  of  my  desti- 
tute situation,  and  benevolently  afforded  me  a  home 
and  subsistence  until  I  could  once  more  obtain  work. 
This  I  at  last  did,  at  Mr.  Benjamin  Bradley's;  and  in 
his  employ  I  continued  until  the  month  of  January, 
1838,  when  I  was  discharged.  The  reason  assigned 
by  Mr.  Bradley,  for  my  dismissal,  was  what  might 
have  been  expected  from  a  knowledge  of  my  habits. 
He  said  I  was  too  shabby  in  appearance  for  a  shop, 
and  it  was  his  opinion,  as  well  as  that  of  others,  that 
I  drank  too  much.  I  had  paid  my  board  at  Mrs. 
Fox's  up  to  that  time,  but  was  now  again  without  a 
cent,  and  was  in  the  depths  of  trouble,  until  I  acci- 
dentally heard  that  a  person  at  Newburyport  was  in 
want  of  a  binder,  to  whom  he  was  willing  to  give  six 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.       85 

dollars  a  week  wages.  Small  as  was  this  remunera- 
tion, I  need  scarcely  say  that  I  eagerly  accepted  the 
offered  salary,  and  traveling,  partly  by  stage  and 
partly  by  cars,  entered  Newburyportlate  in  the  even- 
ing of  the  30th  of  January.  The  next  morning  I 
commenced  work  in  my  new  situation;  and, for  a  few 
weeks,  by  a  desperate  effort,  I  managed  to  keep  free 
from  the  intoxicating  cup.  I  was  now  comparatively 
steady,  and  gave  satisfaction  to  my  employer;  but 
this  state  of  things,  unhappily,  did  not  last  long,  for 
I  had  a  longing  for  society,  and,  I  regret  to  say,  soon 
formed  an  acquaintance  with  companions  who  were 
calculated  to  destroy  any  resolutions  of  amendment 
which  I  had  formed.  I  joined  a  fire-engine  company, 
and,  before  long,  I  was  again  on  the  high-road  of  dis- 
sipation,—  neglecting  my  business,  destroying  my 
reputation, — which  was  already  damaged, — and  injur- 
ing my  health. 

Work  grew  slack  towards  the  July  of  that  year, 
and,  as  I  could  not  earn  sufficient  to  support  myself 
at  my  trade,  I  embraced  another  occupation,  and 
entered  into  an  arrangement  writh  the  captain  of  a 
fishing-boat,  to  go  a  voyage  with  him  down  Chaleur 
Bay.  My  sea  experiences  were  somewhat  severe,  as 
will  presently  be  seen ;  but  as  there  was  no  rum  on 
board,  I  was  forced  to  keep  sober,  and  that  at  least, 
saved  me  a  considerable  amount  of  suffering.  When, 
however,  I  went  on  shore,  I  made  up  for  my  forced 
abstinence  by  pottle-deep  potations,  and  my  visit  to 
another  vessel  was  generally  accompanied  by  a  ca- 
rousal, if  rum  was  by  any  means  to  be  obtained.  In 
consequence  of  what  is  commonly  called  a  "spree,"  my 
life  was,  at  one  time,  placed  in  considerable  jeopardy. 


86      AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

Several  of  our  crew,  with  myself,  had  heen  on  board 
a  neighboring  vessel;  and,  on  our  return  at  night,! 
was,  as  might  be  expected,  intoxicated.  The  boat 
was  rowed  to  the  side  of  our  craft,  and  I  was  so  much 
under  the  influence  of  drink,  that,  unnoticed,  1  lay  at 
the  bottom  of  the  boat.  As  customary,  when  the 
rest  of  the  crew  got  on  board,  the  hook  was  fastened 
in  the  bow  of  the  boat,  which  was  drawn  up.  In  con- 
sequence of  this,  as  the  bow  was  hoisted  with  a  jerk, 
I  was  flung  violently,  from  where  I  was  lying,  to  the 
stern,  and  the  force  of  the  blow  effectually  awakened 
me.  I  called  out,  and  alarmed  my  companions,  just 
in  time  to  prevent  being  thrown  overboard,  and  was 
goon  rescued  from  my  perilous  position.  It  seemed 
that  they  had  not  noticed  me  in  the  boat  when  they 
left  it,  and  supposed,  in  the  dark  scramble,  I  had  got 
safely  on  Aboard.  So  was  my  life  again  saved  by  an 
all-wise  Providence ;  but  I  was  so  closely  wrapped  in 
my  garb  of  thoughtlessness,  that  I  passed  by  the  mat- 
ter with  little  thought  or  thankfulness. 

And  yet,  at  this  time,  I  did  not  consider  myself  to  be 
— what,  in  reality,  I  was — a  drunkard.  Well  enough 
did  I  know,  from  bitter  experience,  that  character,  sit- 
uations, and  health,  had  been 'perilled,  in  consequence 
of  my  love  of  ardent  spirits.  I  felt,  too,  an  aching 
void  in  my  breast,  and  conscience  frequently  told  me 
that  I  was  on  the  broad  road  to  ruin;  but  that  I  was 
what  all  men  despised, — and  I  among  them,  detested, 
— I  could  not  bring  myself  to  believe.  I  would  frame 
many  excuses  for  myself — plead  my  own  cause  before 
myself,  as  judge  and  jury,  until  I  obtained,  at  my  own 
hands,  a  willing  acquittal.  0 !  how  little  does  the 
young  man  dream  that  he  is  deceiving  himself,  though 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      87 

not  others,  whilst  pursuing  so  fatal  a  course  as  was 
mine.  He  abhors  the  name  of  "drunkard,"  whilst 
no  other  word  so  aptly  and  accurately  defines  his 
position. 

The  purpose  of  our  voyage  having  been  answered, 
we  prepared  for  our  homeward  sail,  and  were  making 
for  port  when  a  violent  storm  burst  over  us.  It  was 
a  south-easter ;  and  in  our  perilous  position  off  Cape 
Sable,  none  of  us  expected  to  weather  it.  For  hours 
we  feared  we  should  go  to  the  bottom,  and  scarce  a 
hope  remained  to  cheer  us, — the  captain  having  given 
up  everything  for  lost.  We  could  discern  the  sea 
breaking  violently  over  the  Brazil  rock,  four  miles  and 
a  half  from  us,  and  we  were  rapidly  drifting  to  the 
coast;  but  in  that  dreadful  season,  strange  to  tell,  I 
suffered  but  very  little,  if  anything,  from  alarm  or 
anxiety.  What  to  attribute  this  feeling — or  rather 
absence  of  feeling — to,  I  know  not ;  but  so  it  was,  that, 
owing  to  callousness  or  some  other  cause,  I  felt  not 
the  slightest  fear,  although  some  old  "salts"  were 
dreadfully  anxious.  I  sat  as  calmly  as  I  remember 
ever  to  have  done  in  my  life,  whilst  wave  after  wave 
dashed  over  the  frail  vessel,  making  every  timber 
creak,  and  her  whole  frame  to  quiver,  as  if  with  mortal 
agony.  By  the  mercy  of  God,  however,  the  wind 
shifted  to  the  westward,  and  by  means  of  the  only 
rag  of  a  sail  which  remained  to  us,  we  managed  to 
crawl  off. 

This  was  a  fearful  storm.  Wrecks  strewed  the 
coast;  a  vessel  went  down  with  all  on  board,  but  a 
short  distance  from  us;  and  the  schooner  that  started 
in  company  with  us  from  the  Bay,  went  on  shore, 
and  every  man  perished. 


88      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

Next  morning  at  daylight  we  went  toward  land, 
and  about  noon,  anchored  in  Sherburne  Bay,  Nova 
Scotia,  where  we  remained  long  enough  to  replace  a 
lost  sail,  and  repair  our  damaged  vessel.  One  scene 
on  board  during  the  storm,  was  such  a  combination 
of  the  ludicrous  and  the  profane,  with  ignorance, 
wickedness,  and  superstition,  that  I  may  be  pardoned 
for  relating  it.  We  had  a  man  on  board  so  notori- 
ously wicked,  that  we  called  him  the  Algerine.  His 
profanity  was  frightful.  Utterly  ignorant,  all  he 
knew  of  prayer  or  Scripture,  was  the  first  verse  of 
the  first  chapter  of  Genesis,  and  the  first  clause  of  the 
Lord's  Prayer.  During  fair  weather,  he  was  a  great 
braggart  and  bully;  when  the  gale  so  increased  that 
we  were  really  in  danger,  he  began  to  show  signs  of 
fear;  and  soon  we  heard  him  muttering,  "In  the  be- 
ginning God  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth — Oh 
— Oh — Our  Father  shart  in  heaven — Oh — we're  go- 
ing down — d the  luck — Oh — Oh-h — In  the  be- 
ginning— Oh — murder — d the  luck— Our  Father 

shart  in  heaven."  When  the  jib  blew  away,  he  was 
ordered  by  the  captain  to  go  out  with  another  man 
on  the  bowsprit.  "No — I  wont — Our  Father  shart 

in  heaven — No — I  wont — d d  if  I  do," — and  there 

lay  poor  Jake  prone  on  the  deck.  "Get  up,  you  lub- 
ber," said  the  captain.  "  Our  Father  shart  in  heaven," 
said  Jake.  "You  need  to  be  started  with  a  rope's 
end,"  said  the  captain.  "In  the  beginning  God  cre- 
ated the  heavens  and  the  earth," — "You  fool!  get 
up!  you'll  be  washed  overboard,"  said  the  captain. 
"Oh — Oh — Our  Father  shart  in  heaven,"  said  Jake, 
as  he  crawled  to  one  of  the  rings  of  the  hatchway, 
and  clung  to  it  with  v  both  hands.  Poor  Jake!  I 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      89 

think  I  see  him  now,  as,  in  spite  of  the  tremendous 
sea  and  our  personal  danger,  we  could  but  laugh. 
Utterly  powerless  with  terror,  all  we  could  get  from 
him  was,  "In  the  beginning,"  or  "Our  Father  shart  in 
heaven," — with  an  occasional  "d the  luck,"  inter- 
spersed with  the  most  dismal  Oh's  and  groans.  And 
so  it  was  till  the  storm  abated.  When  we  were  safe 
in  Sherburne  Harbor,  seated  at  the  table  with  coffee 
and  doughnuts,  one  of  the  men  said,  "Jake,  what 
was  that  about  your  father?"  another,  "Jake,  tell  us 
what  was  it  in  the  beginning?"  and  the  chaffing  com- 
menced, and  continued,  till  he  was  almost  beside  him- 
self with  rage,  and  so  threatened  us,  that  we  thought 
it  advisable  to  leave  him  alone;  but  the  slightest 
allusion  to  Jake's  "father,"  or  "the  beginning,"  was 
sufficient  to  put  him  in  a  fury  of  passion  ever  after- 
wards. 

We  soon  set  sail,  and  I  arrived  at  Newburyport  on 
the  first  Sunday  in  November,  glad  enough  to  be 
freed  from  my  imprisonment  for  three  and  a  half 
months,  in  a  small  vessel  of  fifty  tons  burden. 

Once  more  on  land,  I  engaged  to  work  at  my  own 
business,  and  did  so  for  some  time  with  Mr.  Tilton. 
Not  long  afterwards  I  entered  into  the  matrimonial 
state,  and  commenced  housekeeping,  having  earned 
money  sufficient  by  my  fishing  voyage  to  purchase 
some  neat  furniture.  In  my  new  condition  I  might 
have  done  well,  for  I  had  every  prospect  of  success, 
had  it  not  been  for  my  craving  after  society,  which, 
in  spite  of  having  a  home  of  my  own,  I  still  felt 
Alas !  forgetful  of  a  husband's  home  duties,  I  again 
became  involved  in  a  dissipated  social  net-work,  whose 
fatal  meshes  too  surely  entangled  me,  and  unfitted 


90      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

me  for  that  active  exertion  which  was  now  rendered 
doubly  necessary.  I  continued  at  my  work  until 
the  month  of  June,  when,  business  becoming  slack, 
I  again  went  on  a  fishing  excursion,  with  my  wife's 
brother,  the  captain  of  the  boat,  into  the  Bay  of 
Fundy.  We  were  away  this  time  for  only  six  weeks, 
and  returned  in  safety,  without  having  encountered 
anything  worthy  of  note. 


CHAPTER  VL 

Continued  Residence  in  Newburyport — Increasing  Dissipation — Fall- 
ing off  of  Companions — Attempt  at  Work — Growing  Reckless- 
ness— Trip  to  Lynn,  Haverhill,  and  Amesbury — Concert — Return 
Home — Fearful  Scenes  —  Sickness — Delirium — Recovery —  Leave 
Newburyport — Diorama — Return  to  "Worcester — Employment. 

DURING  my  residence  at  Newburyport,  my  early 
serious  impressions  on  one  occasion  in  a  measure  re- 
vived, and  I  felt  some  stingings  of  conscience  for  my 
neglect  of  the  Sabbath,  and  religious  observances. 
I  re-commenced  attending  a  place  of  worship,  and  for 
a  short  time  I  attended  the  Rev.  Mr.  Campbell's 
church,  by  whom,  as  well  as  by  several  of  his  mem- 
bers, I  was  treated  with  much  Christian  kindness.  I 
was  often  invited  to  Mr.  Campbell's  house,  as  well  as 
to  the  houses  of  some  of  his  hearers,  and  it  seemed 
as  if  a  favorable  turning-point  or  crisis  in  my  fortunes 
had  arrived.  Mr.  Campbell  was  good  enough  to  man- 
ifest a  very  great  interest  in  my  welfare,  and  fre- 
quently expressed  a  hope  that  I  should  be  enabled, 
although  late  in  life,  to  obtain  an  education.  And 
this  I  might  have  acquired,  had  not  my  evil  genius 
prevented  my  making  any  efforts  to  obtain  so  desira- 
ble an  end.  My  desire  for  strong  liquors  and  com- 
pany seemed  to  present  an  insuperable  barrier  to  all 
improvement;  and  after  a  few  weeks  every  aspiration 
after.better  things  had  ceased;  every  bud  of  promised 
comfort  was  crushed.  Again  I  grieved  the  Spirit 


92      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHX  B.  GOUGH. 

that  had  been  striving  with  my  spirit,  and  ere  long 
became  even  more  addicted  to  the  use  of  the  infernal 
draughts,  which  had  already  wrought  me  so  much  woe, 
than  at  any  previous  period  of  my  existence. 

And  now  my  circumstances  began  to  be  desperate 
indeed.  In  vain  were  all  my  efforts  to  obtain  work, 
and  at  last  I  became  so  reduced,  that  at  times  I  did 
not  know,  when  one  meal  was  ended,  where  on  the 
face  of  the  broad  earth,  I  should  find  another.  Further 
mortification  awaited  me,  and  by  slow  degrees,  I  be- 
came aware  of  it.  The  young  men  with  whom  I  had 
associated,  in  bar-rooms  and  parlors,  and  who  wore  a 
little  better  clothing  than  I  could  afford,  one  after 
another  began  to  drop  my  acquaintance.  If  I  walked 
in  the  public  streets,'!  too  quickly  perceived  the  cold 
look,  the  averted  eye,  the  half  recognition,  and  to  a 
sensitive  spirit,  such  as  I  possessed,  such  treatment 
was  almost  past  endurance.  To  add  to  the  mortifica- 
tion caused  by  such  a  state  of  things,  it  happened 
that  those  who  had  laughed  the  loudest  at  my  songs 
and  stories,  and  who  had  been  social  enough  with  me 
in  the  bar-room,  were  the  very  individuals  who  seemed 
most  ashamed  of  my  acquaintance.  I  felt  that  I  was 
shunned  by  the  respectable  portion  of  the  community 
also;  and  once, on  asking  a  lad  to  accompany  me  in  a 
walk,  he  informed  me  that  his.  father  had  cautioned 
him  against  associating  with  me.  This  was  a  cutting 
reproof,  and  I  felt  it  more  deeply  than  words  can  ex- 
press. And  could  I  wonder  at  it?  No.  Although  I 
may  have  used  bitter  words  against  that  parent,  my 
conscience  told  me  that  he  had  done  no  more  than 
his  duty,  in  preventing  his  son  being  influenced  by 
my  dissipated  habits.  Oh !  how  often  have  I  laid  down 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      93 

and  bitterly  remembered  many  who  had  hailed  my 
arrival  in  their  company  as  a  joyous  event.  Their 
plaudits  would  resound  in  my  ears,  and  peals  of 
laughter  ring  again  in  my  deserted  chamber;  then 
would  succeed  stillness,  only  broken  by  the  beatings 
of  my  agonized  heart,  which  felt  that  the  gloss  of  re- 
spectability had  worn  off,  and  exposed  my  threadbare 
condition.  To  drown  these  reflections,  I  would  drink, 
not  from  love  of  the  taste  of  the  liquor,  but  to  be- 
come so  stupefied  by  its  fumes  as  to  steep  my  sorrows 
in  a  half  oblivion;  and  from  this  miserable  stupor,  I 
would  wake  to  a  fuller  consciousness  of  my  situation, 
and  again  would  I  banish  my  reflections  by  liquor. 

There  lived  in  Newburyport  at  that  time  a  Mr. 
Low,  who  was  a  rum-seller,  and  I  had  spent  many  a 
shilling  at  his  bar;  he  proposed  to  me  that  he  would 
purchase  some  tools,  and  I  could  start  a  bindery  on 
my  own  account,  paying  him  by  installments.  He 
did  so;  and  I  thought  it  an  act  of  great  kindness  then, 
and  for  some  time  afterwards,  till  I  found  he  had  re- 
ceived pay  from  me  for  tools  he  had  never  paid  for 
himself,  and  I  was  dunned  for  the  account  he  had 
failed  to  settle.  He  even  borrowed  seventy-five  dol- 
lars from  me  after  I  signed  the  pledge,  which  has 
never  been  repaid.  "Such  is  life." 

Despite  all  that  had  occurred,  my  good  name  was 
not  so  far  gone  but  that  I  might  have  succeeded, 
by  the  aid  of  common  industry  and  attention,  in  my 
business.  I  was  a  good  workman,  and  found  no  diffi- 
culty in  procuring  employment,  and,  I  have  not  the 
slightest  doubt,  should  have  succeeded  in  my  endeav- 
ors to  get  on  in  the  world,  but  for  my  unhappy  love 
of  stimulating  drinks,  and  iny  craving  for  society.  I 


94      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

was  now  my  own  master;  all  restraint  was  removed, 
and,  as  might  be  expected,  I  did  as  I  pleased  in  rny 
own  shop.  I  became  careless,  was  often  in  the  bar- 
room when  I  should  have  been  at  my  bindery,  and 
instead  of  spending  my  evenings  at  home,  in  reading 
or  conversation,  they  were  almost  invariably  passed 
in  the  company  of  the  rum  bottle,  which  became  al- 
most my  sole  household  deity.  Five  months  only 
did  I  remain  in  business,  and,  during  that  short 
period,  I  gradually  sunk  deeper  and  deeper  in  the 
scale  of  degradation.  I  was  now  the  slave  of  a  habit 
which  had  become  completely  my  master,  and  which 
fastened  its  remorseless  fangs  in  my  very  vitals. 
Thought  was  a  torturing  thing.  When  I  looked 
back,  memory  drew  fearful  pictures,  in  lines  of  lurid 
flame;  and,  whenever  I  dared  anticipate  the  future, 
hope  refused  to  illumine  my  onward  path.  I  dwelt 
in  one  awful  present;  nothing  to  solace  me, — nothing 
to  beckon  me  onwards  to  a  better  state. 

I  knew  full  well  that  I  was  proceeding  on  a  down- 
ward course,  and  crossing  the  sea  of  time,  as  it  were, 
on  a  bridge  perilous  as  that  over  which  Mahomet's 
followers  are  said  to  enter  paradise.  A  terrible  feel- 
ing was  ever  present  that  some  evil  was  impending, 
which  would  soon  fall  on  my  devoted  head;  and  I 
would  shudder,  as  if  the  sword  of  Damocles,  sus- 
pended by  its  single  hair,  was  about  to  fall  and 
utterly  destroy  me. 

Warnings  were  not  wanting;  but  they  had  no  voice 
of  terror  for  me.  I  was  intimately  acquainted  with 
a  young  man  in  the  town,  and  well  remember  his 
coming  to  my  shop  one  morning,  and  asking  the  loan 
of  ninepence,  with  which  to  buy  rum.  I  let  him 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      95 

have  the  money,  and  the  spirit  was  soon  consumed. 
He  begged  me  to  lend  him  a  second  ninepence,  but  I 
refused ;  yet,  during  my  temporary  absence,  he  drank 
some  spirit  of  wine,  which  was  in  a  bottle  in  the  shop, 
and  used  by  me  in  my  business.  He  went  away,  and 
the  next  I  heard  of  him,  was,  that  he  had  died 
shortly  afterwards.  Such  an  awful  circumstance  as 
this  might  well  have  impressed  me;  but  habitual  in- 
dulgence had  almost  rendered  me  proof  against  salu- 
tary impressions.  I  was,  to  tell  the  truth,  at  this 
time,  deeper  in  degradation  than  at  any  period  be- 
fore, which  I  can  remember. 

My  custom  now  was  to  purchase  my  brandy — which, 
in  consequence  of  my  limited  means,  was  of  the  very 
worst  description — and  keep  it  at  the  shop,  where,  by 
little  and  little,  I  drank  it,  and  continually  kept  my- 
self in  a  state  of  excitement.  This  course  of  pro- 
ceeding entirely  unfitted  me  for  business,  and  it  not 
unfrequently  happened,  when  I  had  books  to  bind, 
that  I  would,  instead  of  attending  to  business,  keep 
my  customers  waiting,  whilst  in  the  company  of  dis- 
solute companions.  I  drank  during  the  whole  day,  to 
the  complete  ruin  of  my  prospects  in  life.  So  en- 
tirely did  I  give  myself  up  to  the  bottle,  that  those 
of  my  companions  who  fancied  they  still  possessed 
some  claims  to  respectability,  gradually  withdrew 
from  my  company.  At  my  house,  too,  I  used  to  keep 
a  bottle  of  gin,  which  was  in  constant  requisition. 
Indeed,  go  where  I  would,  stimulant  I  must  and  did 
have.  Such  a  slave  was  I  to  the  bottle,  that  I  re- 
sorted to  it  continually,  and  in  vain  was  every  effort 
which  I  occasionally  made,  to  conquer  the  debasing 
habit.  I  had  become  a  father;  but  God  in  his  mercy 


96      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

removed  my  little  one  at  so  early  an  age,  that  I  did 
not  feel  the  loss  as  much  as  if  it  had  lived  longer,  to 
engage  my  affections. 

A  circumstance  now  transpired  which  attracted  my 
attention,  and  led  me  to  consider  my  situation,  and 
whither  I  was  hurrying.  A  lecture  was  advertised 
to  be  delivered  by  the  first  reformed  drunkard,  Mr. 
J.  J.  Johnson,  who  visited  Newburyport,  and  I  was 
invited  by  some  friends  who  seemed  to  feel  an  inter- 
est, to  attend  and  hear  what  he  had  to  say.  I  de- 
termined after  some  consideration  to  go  and  hear 
what  was  to  be  said  on  the  subject.  The  meeting 
was  held  in  the  Rev.  Mr.  Campbell's  church,  which 
was  pretty  well  crowded.  I  went  to  the  door,  but 
would  go  no  farther;  but  in  the  ten  minutes  I  stood 
there,  I  heard  the  speaker,  in  graphic  and  forcible 
terms,  depict  the  misery  of  the  drunkard,  and  the 
awful  consequences  of  his  conduct,  both  as  they  af- 
fected himself  and  those  connected  with  him.  My 
conscience  told  me  that  he  spoke  the  truth, — for  what 
had  I  not  suffered !  I  knew  he  was  right,  and  I 
turned  to  leave  the  church,  when  a  young  man  offered 
me  the  pledge  to  sign.  I  actually  turned  to  sign  it; 
but  at  that  critical  moment,  the  appetite  for  strong 
drink,  as  if  determined  to  have  the  mastery  over  me, 
came  in  all  its  force.  Oh!  how  I  wanted  it;  and,  re- 
membering that  I  had  a  pint  of  brandy  at  home,  I 
deferred  signing,  and  put  off  to  "a  more  convenient 
season,"  a  proceeding  that  might  have  saved  me  so 
much  after  sorrow.  I,  however,  compromised  the  mat- 
ter with  my  conscience,  by  inwardly  resolving  that  I 
would  drink  up  what  spirit  I  had  by  me,  and  then  think 
of  leaving  off  the  use  of  the  accursed  liquid  altogether. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  COUGH.      97 

"Think  of  it!"  0!  had  I  then  acted,  what  misery 
would  have  been  spared  me  in  after  days.  One  would 
have  imagined  that  I  had  had  my  fill  of  misery,  and 
been  glad  to  have  hailed  and  grasped  any  saving 
hand  which  might  be  held  out.  But  no;  such  was  the 
dominion  which  rum  had  over  me,  that  I  was  led  cap- 
tive by  it,  as  at  will.  It  had  impaired  every  energy, 
and  almost  destroyed  the  desire  to  be  better  than  I 
was.  I  was  debased  in  my  own  eyes,  and,  having  lost 
my  self-respect,  became  a  poor,  abject  being,  scarcely 
worth  attempting  to  reform. 

Did  I  think  of  it?  0,  no.  I  forgot  the  impressions 
made  upon  me  by  the  speaker  at  the  meeting  I  have 
alluded  to.  Still,  I  madly  drained  the  inebriating 
cup,  and  speedily  my  state  was  worse  than  ever.  0, 
no.  I  soon  ceased  to  think  about  it,  for  my  master 
passion,  like  Aaron's  rod,  swallowed  np  every  thought 
and  feeling  opposed  to  it,  which  I  possessed. 

My  business  grew  gradually  worse,  and  at  length 
my  constitution  became  so  impaired,  that  even  when 
I  had  the  will,  I  did  not  possess  the  power  to  provide 
for  my  daily  wants.  My  hands  would,  at  times,  trem- 
ble so  that  I  could  not  perform  the  finer  operations 
of  my  business, — the  finishing  and  gilding.  How 
could  I  letter  straight,  with  a  hand  burning  and 
shaking  from  the  effects  of  a  debauch?  Sometimes, 
when  it  was  absolutely  necessary  to  finish  off  some 
work,  I  have  entered  the  shop  with  a  stern  determi- 
nation not  to  drink  a  single  drop  until  I  completed  it 
I  have  bitterly  felt  that  my  failing  was  a  matter 
of  common  conversation  in  the  town,  and  a  burning 
sense  of  shame  would  flush  my  fevered  brow,  at  the 
conviction  that  I  was  scorned  by  the  respectable  por- 


98      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

tion  of  the  community.  But  these  feelings  passed 
away  like  the  morning  cloud  or  early  dew,  and  I  pur- 
sued my  old  course. 

About  this  time  I  received  a  letter  from  the  pro- 
prietor of  a  hotel  and  hall  in  Lynn,  inviting  me  to 
come  there,  and  give  a  couple  of  entertainments  in 
his  hall;  he  to  take  the  proceeds  of  the  first,  I  to 
receive  the  second.  I  went,  and  returned  with  about 
three  dollars,  as  the  result.  Afterwards  I  went  to 
Lowell,  Haverhill,  and  Amesbury,  in  company  with 
Stanwood  and  Warren.  I  give,  as  a  curiosity,  a  copy 
of  an  old  handbill  in  my  possession  : — 

CONCERT 

AT     AMESBURT. 

Mr.  M.  G.  Stanwood  and  Mr.  C.  Warren  respectfully  inform  the 
ladies  and  gentlemen  of  Amesbury,  that  they  will  give  a  Concert,  at 
Franklin  HaU,  ^"  THIS  EVENING,  March  22d,  for  the  purpose  of 
introducing  the 

ACCORDION 

into  use, — -as  it  is  thought  by  many  to  be  an  instrument  that  cannot 
be  performed  on.  The  performance  will  consist  of  some  of  the  most 
popular  music  from  the  latest  Operas. 


MR.     JOHN     B.     GOUGH, 

The  celebrated  singer  from  the  New  York*  and  Boston  Theaters,  will 
also  appear  in  his  most  popular  songs. 


PROGRAMME. 

PART    i. 

Hail  Columbia. 

Yankee  Doodle. 

Song— Wedlock,       »'....     Gaugh. 

Sweet  Home. 

*I  had  sung  but  one  song  in  a  New  York  theater,  but  this  was  inserted  for 
effect. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.      99 

Hunter's  Chorus. 

Song  —  Water  Party,      .......     .     .........     Gough. 

Kinloch  of  Kinloch. 

Swiss  Waltz. 

Recitation  —  Sailor  Boy's  Dream,      .............     Gough. 

Oft  in  the  Stilly  Night. 

March  in  "  Masaniello." 

Song  —  Apollo  Glee  Club,  .................     Gough. 

Away  with  Melancholy  —  with  variations. 
Winding  Way. 

i 

P  A  K  T     II. 
Stanz  Waltz. 
Wood-up. 
Recitation  —  Alonzo  and  Imogene,     .............     Gough. 

Bayadere  Quickstep. 
Trumpet  Quickstep. 
Song  —  Bashful  Man,      .................     Gough. 

Somnambula  Quickstep. 
Fisher's  Hornpipe. 

Dialogue  —  Between  a  Yankee,  Dutchman,  Frenchman,  and  Irishman, 
on  the  subject  of  eatables  and  speakables,    .........     Gough. 

Cinderella  Waltz. 

Brass  Band  Quickstep. 

Song  —  Bartholomew  Fair,      ...............     Gough. 

Hull  Street  Guards  Quickstep. 
Copenhagen  Waltz  —  with  variations. 


Tickets  25  cents  ;   Children,  half  price.     To  be  obtained  at  the  door. 
%*  Doors  open  at  7  —  performance  to  commence  at  -J  past  7  o'clock. 

Though  we  gave  the  audience  a  good  bill  of  fare 
for  their  money,  and  did  our  best,  I  was  very  little, 
if  at  all,  benefited  financially,  and  returned  to  the 
old  wretched  way  of  life.  To  what  shifts  was  I 
reduced,  to  conceal  my  habit  of  using  intoxicating 
drinks! 

Frequently  have  I  taken  a  pitcher,  with  a  pint  of 
new  rum  in  it,  purchased  at  some  obscure  groggery, 
and  put  about  one-third  as  much  water  as  there  was 
spirit  in  it,  at  the  town  puinp,  in  Market  Square,  in 
order  to  induce  persons  to  think  that  I  drank  water 
alone.  This  mixture  I  would  take  to  my  shop,  and, 


100     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

for  days  and  days  together,  it  would  be  my  only 
beverage.  In  consequence  of  this  habit,  I  would 
frequently  fall  asleep,  or,  if  awake,  be  in  so  half  tor- 
pid a  state,  that  work  or  exertion  of  any  kind  was 
quite  out  of  the  question;  and  my  days  dragged 
wearily  on.  At  times  I  almost  wished  that  my  life, 
and  its  miseries,  would  close. 

The  reader  will  remember  that  I  have  before  re- 
ferred to  my  sister.  She  had  been  for  some  time 
married,  and  was  then  residing  at  Providence,  R  I. 
One  day  I  received  a  letter  from  her,  in  which  she 
stated  that  she  was  severely  afflicted  with  salt  rheum, 
and  requested  that  my  wife  would  visit  her,  for  the 
purpose  of  nursing  her  and  her  infant.  My  wife 
decided  on  going.  I  accompanied  her  to  the  cars, 
and  then  returned  home.  It  was  the  first  time  since 
our  marriage  that  we  had  ever  been  separated,  and 
the  house  to  me  looked  lonely  and  desolate.  I 
thought  I  would  not  go  to  work,  and  a  great  induce- 
ment to  remain  at  home,  existed  in  the  shape  of  my 
enemy, — West  India  rum, — of  which  I  had  a  quantity 
in  the  house.  Although  the  morning  wras  by  no 
means  far  advanced,  I  sat  down,  intending  to  do  noth- 
ing until  dinner-time.  I  could  not  sit  alone  without 
rum,  and  I  drank  glass  after  glass,  until  I  became  so 
stupefied  that  I  was  compelled  to  lie  down  on  the 
bed,  where  I  soon  fell  asleep.  When  I  awoke,  it  was 
late  in  the  afternoon,  and  then,  as  I  persuaded  my- 
self, too  late  to  make  a  bad  day's  work  good.  I  in- 
vited a  neighbor,  who,  like  myself,  was  a  man  of 
intemperate  habits,  to  spend  the  evening  W7ith  me. 
He  came,  and  we  sat  down  to  our  rum,  and  drank 
freely  together  until  late  that  night,  when  he  stag- 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     101 

gered  home,  and  so  intoxicated  was  I,  that  in  moving 
to  go  to  bed,  I  fell  over  the  table,  broke  a  lamp,  and 
lay  on  the  floor  for  some  time,  unable  to  rise.  At 
last  I  managed  to  get  to  bed ;  but  0 !  I  did  not  sleep, 
only  dozed  at  intervals,  for  the  drunkard  never  knows 
the  blessings  of  undisturbed  repose.  I  awoke  in  the 
night  with  a  raging  thirst.  My  mouth  was  parched, 
and  my  throat  was  burning;  and  I  anxiously  groped 
about  the  room,  trying  to  find  more  rum,  in  which  I 
sought  to  quench  my  dreadful  thirst.  No  sooner  was 
one  draught  taken,  than  the  horrible  dry  feeling  re- 
turned; and  so  I  went  on,  swallowing  repeated  glass- 
fuls  of  the  spirit,  until  at  last  I  had  drained  the  very 
last  drop  which  the  jug  contained.  My  appetite  grew 
by  what  it  fed  on ;  and,  having  a  little  money  by  me, 
I  with  difficulty  got  up,  made  myself  look  as  tidy  as 
possible,  and  then  went  out  to  buy  more  rum,  with 
which  I  returned  to  the  house. 

The  fact  will,  perhaps,  seem  incredible,  but  so  it 
was,  that  I  drank  spirits  continually,  without  tasting 
a  morsel  of  food,  for  the  next  three  days.  This  could 
not  last  long;  a  constitution  of  iron  strength  could 
not  endure  such  treatment,  and  mine  was  partially 
broken  down  by  previous  dissipation. 

I  began  to  experience  a  feeling  hitherto  unknown 
to  me.  After  the  three  days'  drinking,  to  which  I  have 
just  referred,  I  felt,  one  night,  as  I  lay  on  my  bed,  an 
awful  sense  of  something  dreadful  coining  upon  me. 
It  was  as  if  I  had  been  partially  stunned,  and  now,  in 
an  interval  of  consciousness,  was  about  to  have  the 
fearful  blow,  which  had  prostrated  me,  repeated. 
There  was  a  craving  for  sleep,  sleep,  blessed  sleep ! 
but  my  eyelids  were  as  if  they  could  not  close.  Ev- 
7 


102     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

ery  object  around  me  I  beheld  with  startling  distinct- 
ness, and  my  hearing  became  unnaturally  acute. 
Then,  to  the  ringing  and  roaring  in  my  ears,  would 
suddenly  succeed  a  silence,  so  awful,  that  only  the 
stillness  of  the  grave  might  be  compared  with  it. 

At  other  times,  strange  voices  would  whisper  unin- 
telligible words,  and  the  slightest  noise  would  make 
me  start,  like  a  guilty  thing.  But  the  horrible,  burn- 
ing thirst  was  insupportable,  and,  to  quench  it,  and 
induce  sleep,  I  clutched  again  and  again,  the  rum 
bottle, — hugged  my  enemy, — and  poured  the  infernal 
fluid  down  my  parched  throat.  But  it  was  of  no  use 
' — none.  I  could  not  sleep.  Then  I  bethought  me 
of  tobacco;  and,  staggering  from  my  bed  to  a  shelf 
near,  with  great  difficulty,  I  managed  to  procure  a 
pipe  and  some  matches.  I  could  not  stand  to  light 
the  latter,  so  I  lay  again  on  the  bed,  and  scraped  one 
on  the  wall.  I  began  to  smoke,  and  the  narcotic  leaf 
produced  a  stupefaction.  I  dozed  a  little,  but,  feeling 
a  warmth  on  my  face,  I  awoke,  and  discovered  my 
pillow  to  be  on  fire!  I  had  dropped  a  lighted  match 
on  the  bed.  By  a  desperate  effort,  I  threw  the  pillow 
on  the  floor,  and,  too  exhausted  to  feel  annoyed  by 
the  burning  feathers,  I  sank  again  into  a  state  of  som- 
nolency. 

How  long  I  lay,  I  do  not  exactly  know;  but  I 
was  roused  from  my  lethargy  by  the  neighbors,  who, 
alarmed  by  a  smell  of  fire,  came  to  my  room  to  as- 
certain the  cause.  When  they  took  me  from  my  bed, 
the  under  part  of  the  straw  with  which  it  was  stuffed, 
was  smouldering,  and,  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour  more, 
must  have  burst  into  a  flame.  Had  such  been  the 
case,  how  horrible  would  have  been  my  fate !  for  it  is 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     103 

more  than  probable,  that,  in  my  half  senseless  con- 
dition, I  should  have  been  suffocated,  or  burned  to 
death.  The  fright  produced  by  this  incident,  and  a 
very  narrow  escape,  in  some  degree  sobered  me ;  but 
what  I  felt  more  than  anything  else,  was  the  expos- 
ure. Now,  all  would  be  known,  and  I  feared  my 
name  would  become,  more  than  ever,  a  by-word  and 
a  reproach. 

Will  it  be  believed  that  I  again  sought  refuge  in 
rum?  Yet  so  it  was.  Scarcely  had  I  recovered  from 
the  fright,  than  I  sent  out,  procured  a  pint  of  rum,  and 
drank  it  all  in  less  than  an  hour.  And  now  came 
upon  me  many  terrible  sensations.  Cramps  attacked 
me  in  my  limbs,  which  racked  me  with  agony;  and 
my  temples  throbbed  as  if  they  would  burst.  So  ill 
was  I,  that  I  became  seriously  alarmed,  and  begged 
the  people  of  the  house  to  send  for  a  physician.  They 
did  so ;  but  I  immediately  repented  having  summoned 
him,  and  endeavored,  but  ineffectually,  to  get  out  of 
his  way  when  he  arrived.  He  saw  at  a  glance  what 
was  the  matter  with  me,  ordered  the  persons  about 
me  to  watch  me  carefully,  and  on  no  account  to  let 
me  have  any  spirituous  liquors.  Everything  stimulat- 
ing was  rigorously  denied  me  ;  and  then  came  on  the 
drunkard's  remorseless  torturer, — delirium  tremens, 
in  all  its  terrors,  attacked  me.  For  three  days,  I  en- 
dured more  agony  than  pen  could  describe,  even  were 
it  guided  by  the  mind  of  Dante.  Who  can  tell  the 
horrors  of  that  horrible  malady,  aggravated  as  it  is  by 
the  almost  ever-abiding  consciousness  that  it  is  self- 
sought  ?  Hideous  faces  appeared  on  the  walls,  and  on 
the  ceiling,  and  on  the  floors ;  foul  things  crept  along 
the  bedclothes,  and  glaring  eyes  peered  into  mine.  I 


104     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

was  at  one  time  surrounded  by  millions  of  monstrous 
spiders,  that  crawled  slowly  over  every  limb,  whilst 
the  beaded  drops  of  perspiration  would  start  to  my 
brow,  and  my  limbs  would  shiver  until  the  bed  rattled 
again.  Strange  lights  would  dance  before  my  eyes, 
and  then  suddenly  the  very  blackness  of  darkness 
would  appall  me  by  its  dense  gloom.  All  at  once, 
whilst  gazing  at  a  frightful  creation  of  my  distem- 
pered mind,  I  seemed  struck  with  sudden  blindness. 
I  knew  a  candle  was  burning  in  the  room,  but  I  could 
not  see  it, — all  was  so  pitchy  dark.  I  lost  the  sense 
of  feeling,  too,  for  I  endeavored  to  grasp  my  arm  in  one 
hand,  but  consciousness  was  gone.  I  put  my  hand  to 
my  side,  my  head,  but  felt  nothing,  and  still  I  knew 
my  limbs  and  frame  were  there.  And  then  the 
scene  would  change:  I  was  falling — falling  swiftly  as 
an  arrow — far  down  into  some  terrible  abyss;  and  so 
like  reality  was  it,  that  as  I  fell,  I  could  see  the  rocky 
sides  of  the  horrible  shaft,  where  mocking,  jibing, 
mowing,  fiend-like  forms  were  perched ;  and  I  could 
feel  the  air  rushing  past  me,  making  my  hair  stream 
out  by  the  force  of  the  unwholesome  blast.  Then  the 
paroxysm  sometimes  ceased  for  a  few  moments,  and  I 
would  sink  back  on  my  pallet,  drenched  with  perspi- 
ration,— utterly  exhausted,  and  feeling  a  dreadful  cer- 
tainty of  the  renewal  of  my  torments. 

By  the  mercy  of  God,  I  survived  this  awful  seizure ; 
and  when  I  rose,  a  weak,' broken-down  man,  and  sur- 
veyed my  ghastly  features  in  a  glass,  I  thought  of  my 
mother,  and  asked  myself  how  I  had  obeyed  the  in- 
structions I  had  received  from  her  lips,  and  to  what 
advantage  I  had  turned  the  lessons  she  taught  me.  I 
remembered  her  countless  prayers  and  tears, — thought 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     105 

of  what  I  had  been  but  a  few  short  months  before,  and 
contrasted  my  situation  with  what  it  then  was.  Oh ! 
how  keen  were  my  own  rebukes ;  and,  in  the  excite- 
ment of  the  moment,  I  resolved  to  lead  a  better  life, 
and  abstain  from  the  accursed  cup. 

For  about  a  month,  terrified  by  what  I  had  suffered, 
I  adhered  to  my  resolution;  then  my  wife  came 
home,  and,  in  my  joy  at  her  return,  I  flung  my  good 
resolutions  to  the  wind,  and,  foolishly  fancying  that  I 
could  now  restrain  my  appetite,  which  had  for  a  whole 
month  remained  in  subjection,  I  took  a  glass  of  brandy. 
That  glass  aroused  the  slumbering  demon,  who  would 
not  be  satisfied  by  so  tiny  a  libation.  Another  and 
another  succeeded,  until  I  was  again  far  advanced  in 
the  career  of  intemperance.  The  night  of  my  wife's 
return,  I  went  to  bed  intoxicated.  I  will  not  detain 
the  reader  by  the  particulars  of  my  every-day  life  at 
this  time; — they  may  easily  be  imagined  from  what 
has  already  been  stated.  My  previous  bitter  experi- 
ence, one  would  think,  might  have  operated  as  a 
warning;  but  none  save  the  inebriate  can  tell  the 
almost  resistless  strength  of  the  temptations  which 
assail  him.  I  did  not,  however,  make  quite  so  deep  a 
plunge  as  before.  My  tools  I  had  given  into  the 
hands  of  Mr.  Gray,  for  whom  I  worked,  receiving 
about  five  dollars  a  week.  My  wages  were  paid  me 
every  night,  for  I  was  not  to  be  trusted  with  much 
money  at  a  time,  so  certain  was  I  to  spend  a  great 
portion  of  it  in  drink.  As  it  was,  I  regularly  got  rid 
of  one-third  of  what  I  daily  received,  for  rum. 

I  soon  left  Mr.  Gray,  under  the  following  circum- 
stances: There  was  an  exhibition  of  the  Battle  of 
Bunker  Hill  to  be  opened  in  the  town,  and  the  man- 


106     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

ager,  knowing  that  I  had  a  good  voice,  and  sung 
pretty  well,  thought  my  comic  singing  would  consti- 
tute an  attraction;  so  he  engaged  me  to  give  songs 
every  evening,  and  to  assist  in  the  general  business 
of  the  diorama.  In  this  occupation  I  continued 
about  three  weeks,  or  a  month,  and  when  the  exhibi- 
bition  closed  in  Newburyport,  by  invitation,  I  re- 
mained with  the  proprietor,  and  proceeded  with  him 
to  Lowell.  As  it  was  uncertain  when  I  should  re- 
turn,— the  manager  wishing  me  to  travel  with  him, — 
I  sold  off  what  few  articles  of  furniture  yet  remained 
in  my  possession,  and  my  wife  arranged  to  stay,  dur- 
ing my  absence,  with  my  sister.  I  staid  in  the  town 
of  Lowell  for  the  space  of  three  months,  my  habits 
of  intemperance  increasing,  as  might  be  exprected; 
for  in  a  wandering  life  my  outbreaks  were  not  so 
much  noticed  as  when  I  was  residing  at  home.  As 
had  been  the  case  often  before,  rum  claimed  nearly 
all  my  attention,  and  consequently  the  business  I  was 
called  upon  to  perform  was  entirely  neglected,  or 
carelessly  attended  to. 

One  part  of  my  business  was  to  turn  the  crank,  in 
bringing  on  the  troops ;  which  were  figures  arranged 
in  a  frame,  a  dozen  or  more  together,  and  placed  on 
a  band  of  leather,  with  cleets  to  hold  them.  This 
leather  passed  over  rollers,  and  ran  the  whole  length 
of  the  stage.  One  man  placed  them  on  the  band, 
another  at  the  other  end  took  them  off  and  sent  them 
back  to  us,  and  they  were  presented  again;  so  that 
,with  a  very  few  figures  we  could  parade  quite  an 
army.  To  turn  this  crank,  required  a  steady  hand, 
and  I  am  afraid  many  of  the  soldiers  marched  by 
jerks.  Then  part  of  the  business  was  .to  lie  on  my 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     107 

back  during  the  bombardment  of  Charlestown,  and 
while  one  man  worked  the  figures  at  their  guns,  I 
was,  at  a  signal,  to  apply  a  match  to  some  powder  I 
held  on  a  piece  of  tin,  for  the  flash,  when  another 
man  struck  the  big  drum,  for  the  report.  Often  the 
report  came  before  the  flash,  and  sometimes  there 
was  no  flash  at  all.  Occasionally  I  would  lift  my  hand 
through  the  hole  so  high,  that  the  audience  saw  the 
operation.  Then  there  would  be  a  laugh  and  a  hiss. 
Oh! 'it  was  miserable  work — half  suffocated  with  the 
smoke,  blackened  with  the  powder,  sometimes  fingers 
burned,  or  hair  and  eyebrows  singed,  for  a  salary  mea- 
ger indeed,  when  I  might  have  done  so  well.  Have 
I  not  cause  to  hate  the  drink  ?  Yes,  I  do  hate  it. 
And  I  pray  God  to  give  me  an  everlastingly  increas- 
ing capacity  to  hate  it. 

On  several  occasions  when  I  repaired  to  the  place 
where  the  diorama  was  exhibited,  I  was  in  such  a 
state  that  I  could  do  nothing  required  of  me,  and 
severe  were  the  rebukes  I  received  in  consequence, 
from  my  employer.  These  remarks  incensed  me 
highly,  and  only  made  me  drink  more,  so  that  ere 
long  my  name  and  that  of  an  incorrigible  drunkard 
were  synonymous.  We  next  proceeded  to  Worcester, 
and  there  remained  a  fortnight.  I  experienced  great 
difficulty  in  procuring  the  meager  salary  which  was 
promised  me,  and  many  privations  had  I  to  endure  in 
consequence;  my  stock  of  wearing  apparel  was  scanty 
enough,  and  hardly  fit  to  appear  in  the  street.  This 
was  in  the  month  of  October,  and,  as  the  winter  was 
drawing  on  fast,  I  miserably  contemplated  what  my 
situation  would  be  through  the  approaching  severe 
season.  Want  and  cold  appeared  before  me  in  all 


108     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

their  frightful  realities,  and  I  again  resolved  to  ab- 
stain from  the  maddening  influences  which  governed 
me  with  despotic  rule. 

I  sent  to  my  wife,  requesting  her  to  return,  and 
transmitted  her  three  dollars  for  her  expenses  to 
Worcester.  I  adhered  in  a  great  measure  to  my 
resolution  not  to  become  intoxicated,  but  on  the  day 
I  expected  her  to  return  home,  I  met  with  an  ac- 
quaintance, who  asked  me  to  stroll  about  with  him, 
in  order  that  he  might  see  the  town.  We  drank 
together,  and  our  walk  ended  by  my  getting  drunk, 
and  forgetting  the  good  resolution  which  I  had 
made.  I  met  my  wife  at  the  stage,  and  took  her  to 
the  hotel.  I  then  went  to  the  performance,  and 
managed  to  get  through  my  work.  Soon  after  this,  I 
quitted  the  service  of  the  proprietor  of  the  diorama; 
and,  putting  as  sober  a  face  upon  matters  as  I  could, 
applied  to  Messrs.  Hutchinson  and  Crosby,  for  em- 
ployment. These  gentlemen  agreed  to  take  me  on 
trial,  stating  that,  if  they  were  satisfied  with  my 
work,  they  would  engage  me.  My  work  was  ap- 
proved, and,  once  more  installed  in  a  good  situation, 
I  had  a  chance  of  pushing  my  fortune. 

My  wife  now  began  to  exhibit  symptoms  of  de> 
clining  health,  and  my  prospects,  as  before,  were  none 
of  the  brightest.  I  managed  to  keep  my  situation, 
and  fancied  that  my  intemperate  habits  were  known 
only  to  myself,  as  I  carefully  avoided  any  open  or 
flagrant  violation  of  propriety,  —  but  drunkenness, 
more  than  any  other  vice,  cannot  long  be  hidden.  It 
seems  as  if  the  very  walls  whispered  it;  and  there  is 
scarcely  an  action  of  the  drinking  man,  which  does 
not  betray  him.  I  did  not,  however,  long  remain 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     109 

cautious;  for  one  morning,  after  having  drank  freely 
the  evening  before,  I  felt  unable  to  work,  and  was 
compelled  to  remain  at  home  during  that  day  and 
the  next.  All  my  property,  which  could  by  any 
means  be  rendered  available,  I  had  disposed  of,  in 
order  to  procure  money  for  purchasing  drink,  and  the 
man  in  whose  house  I  boarded,  having  watched  my 
proceedings  with  a  very  vigilant  eye,  became,  I  sup- 
pose, fearful  that  I  should  not  be  able  to  pay  for  my 
board,  and  informed  my  employers,  Messrs.  Hutchin- 
son  and  Crosby,  that  I  was  detained  at  home  in  con- 
sequence of  what  is  called  a  drunken  spree.  I  do 
not  think  the  information  was  given  from  any  motive 
of  kindness  towards  myself,  but  believe  it  was  a  sel- 
fish motive  which  prompted  the  interference. 

I  felt  wretched  enough  when  I  proceeded  to  the 
shop  to  resume  my  work.  Mr.  Hutchinson  had  a 
strong  hatred  of  intemperance,  and  looked  not  very 
lightly  on  my  transgression.  As  soon  as  he  saw  me, 
he  sternly  informed  me  that  he  did  not  want  any 
men  in  his  employ  who  were  in  the  habit  of  being 
the  wrorse  for  liquor ;  and  threatened  me  with  instant 
dismissal,  should  I  ever  again  neglect  my  business  for 
the  bottle.  I  assured  him  that  he  should  not  again 
have  occasion  to  complain  of  my  inebriety,  and  I  in- 
wardly resolved  to  profit  by  the  warning  I  had  re- 
ceived. Having  a  sick  wife,  and  being  almost  utterly 
destitute  of  means,  reflection  would  force  itself  upon 
me.  I  was  startled  at  the  idea  of  her  and  myself 
coming  to  want,  entirely  in  consequence  of  my  evil 
habit,  and  I  resolved  again  to  attempt  the  work  of 
reformation. 


CHAPTER  VH. 

My  Wife's  111  Health — Her  Death — Continued  Dissipation — Methodist 

Meeting  Interrupted — Sad  Reflections — Fourth  of  July — Cold  Wa- 

.  ter  Army — Wretchedness  of  my  Condition — Appeal  to  Young  Men. 

IN  order  to  render  myself  less  liable  to  temptation, 
and  to  avoid  the  dissipated  society  which  I  was  con- 
stantly falling  into  at  the  hotel  where  I  lived,  I  left 
it,  and  engaged  board  at  the  house  of  a  gentleman 
who  happened  to  be  the  president  of  a  temperance  so- 
ciety. Here  I  attempted  to  restrain  my  appetite  for 
drink,  but  the  struggle  was  terrible:  so  mighty  a 
power  would  not  be  conquered  without  contesting  ev- 
ery inch  of  his  dominion;  and  I,  trusting  to  my  own 
strength,  assailed  it  with  but  a  feeble  weapon.  I  felt 
as  if  I  could  not  do  without  the  draughts  which  I  had 
been  so  long  accustomed  to,  and  yet  I  was  ashamed 
to  display  the  weakness  which  prompted  me  to  in- 
dulge in  them.  To  procure  liquor,  I  was  compelled  to 
resort  to  every  kind  of  stratagem,  and  the  services  of 
my  inventive  faculties  were  in  constant  requisition. 
Many  a  time  would  I  steal  out,  when  no  one  noticed 
me,  and  proceed  with  a  bottle  in  my  pocket,  to  the 
farthest  extremity  of  the  town,  where  I  would  pur- 
chase a  supply  of  rum,  which  I  would  take  home  with 
me.  Occasionally  I  procured  spirit  at  the  apotheca- 
ry's shop,  alleging,  as  an  excuse,  that  it  was  required 
in  a  case  of  sickness,  and  the  pint  I  would  generally 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     HI 

divide  into  three  portions,  one  of  which  I  took  in  the 
morning,  another  at  noon,  and  the  remainder  I  dis- 
posed of  in  the  evening.  My  habits  were  not  natu- 
rally of  a  deceptive  character,  and  I  always  felt  de- 
graded in  my  own  esteem,  whenever  I  had  occasion 
to  resort  to  the  expedients  I  have  mentioned, — but 
what  will  not  a  drunkard  do,  in  order  to  procure  the 
stimulus  he  so  ardently  desires  ?  Have  it  I  would,  and 
get  it  I  did;  and  I  always  seemed  to  desire  it  the 
more  when  the  difficulty  of  procuring  it  was  increased. 

My  wardrobe — as  it  had,  indeed,  nearly  always  been 
whilst  I  drank  to  excess — was  now  exceedingly  shabby, 
and  it  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  that  I  could 
manage  to  procure  the  necessaries  of  life.  My  wife 
became  very  ill.  0  !  how  miserable  I  was !  Some  of 
the  women  who  were  in  attendance  on  my  wife,  told 
me  to  get  two  quarts  of  rum.  I  procured  it;  and  as  it 
was  in  the  house,  and  I  did  not  anticipate  serious  con- 
sequences, I  could  not  withstand  the  strong  tempta- 
tion to  drink.  I  did  drink,  and  so  freely  that  the  usual 
effect  was  produced.  How  much  I  swallowed,  I  can- 
not tell;  but  the  quantity,  judging  from  the  effects, 
must  have  been  considerable. 

Ten  long  weary  days  of  suspense  passed,  at  the  end 
of  which  my  wife  and  her  infant  both  died.  Then 
came  the  terribly  oppressive  feeling,  that  I  was  utterly 
alone  in  the  world ;  and  it  seemed  almost  that  I  was 
forgotten  of  God,  as  well  as  abandoned  by  man.  All 
the  consciousness  of  my  dreadful  situation  pressed 
heavily  indeed  upon  me,  and  keenly  as  a  sensitive 
mind  could,  did  I  feel  the  loss  I  had  experienced.  I 
drank  now  to  dispel  my  gloom,  or  to  drown  it  in  the 
maddening  cup ;  and  soon  was  it  whispered,  from  one 


112     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

to  another,  until  the  whole  town  became  aware  of  it, 
that  my  wife  and  child  were  lying  dead,  and  that  I 
was  drunk!  But  if  ever  I  was  cursed  with  the  faculty 
of  thought,  in  all  its  intensity,  it  was  then.  And  this 
was  the  degraded  condition  of  one  who  had  been 
nursed  on  the  lap  of  piety,  and  whose  infant  tongue 
had  been  taught  to  utter  a  prayer  against  being  led 
into  temptation.  There,  in  the  room  where  all  who 
had  loved  me  were  lying  in  the  unconscious  slumber 
of  death,  was  I,  gazing,  with  a  maudlin  melancholy 
imprinted  on  my  features,  on  the  dead  forms  of  those 
who  were  flesh  of  my  flesh,  and  bone  of  my  bone. 
During  the  miserable  hours  of  darkness,  I  would  steal 
from  my  lonely  bed  to  the  place  where  my  dead  wife 
and  child  lay,  and,  in  agony  of  soul,  pass  my  shaking 
hand  over  their  cold  faces,  and  then  return  to  my  bed 
after  a  draught  of  rum,  which  I  had  obtained  and 
hidden  under  the  pillow  of  my  wretched  couch.  At 
such  times,  all  the  events  of  the  past  would  return 
with  terrible  distinctness  to  my  recollection,  and  many 
a  time  did  I  wish  to  die, — for  hope  had  well  nigh  de- 
serted me,  both  with  respect  to  this  world  and  the 
next.  I  had  apostatized  from  those  pure  principles 
which  once  I  embraced,  and  was  now — 

"A  wandering,  wretched,  worn,  and  weary  thing; 
Ashamed  to  ask,  and  yet  I  needed  help." 

I  will  not  dwell  on  this  painful  portion  of  my  ca- 
reer, but  simply  remark,  that  all  the  horrors  which  I 
believe  man  could  bear,  were  endured  by  me  at  that 
dreary  time.  My  frame  was  enervated,  my  reputa- 
tion gone,  all  my  prospects  were  blighted,  and  misery 
Deemed  to  have  poured  out  all  her  vials  on  my  de- 
voted head. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     113 

The  funeral  of  my  wife  and  child  being  over,  I 
knew  not  what  course  to  pursue ;  for,  wherever  I  went, 
I  failed  not  to  see  the  slow  moving  finger  of  scorn 
pointed  at  me.  I  writhed  in  agony  under  the  sense 
of  shame  which  it  produced.  Every  one  looked 
coldly  at  me,  and  but  few  hesitated  to  sneer  at  my 
despicable  condition.  What  had  I  done  to  deserve 
all  this  torturing  treatment?  I  was  naturally  of  a 
kind  and  humane  disposition,  and  would  turn  aside 
from  an  unwillingness  to  hurt  a  worm ;  frequently 
have  I  reasoned  with  boys  who  inflicted  cruelty  on 
dumb  animals.  I  would  have  hugged  the  dog  that 
licked  my  hand,  and  taken  to  my  bosom  even  a  rep- 
tile, if  I  thought  it  loved  me.  What  had  I  done  to 
make  me  so  shunned  and  execrated  by  my  kind? 
Conscience  gave  me  back  an  answer, — I  drank!  and 
in  those  two  words  lay  the  whole  secret  of  my  miser- 
able condition. 

It  was  not  to  be  expected  that,  while  I  persisted  in 
my  drinking  habits,  I  should  attend  to  my  work.  My 
employers  perceived  that  I  neglected  their  interests, 
as  well  as  my  own,  and  I  was  informed  by  them  that 
they  were  no  longer  in  need  of  my  services.  What 
was  I  to  do?  I  had  incurred  some  debts  which  I 
wished  to  discharge,  and  I  expressed  a  desire  to  that 
effect.  After  some  hesitation,  I  was  re-engaged,  on  the 
understanding  that  I  should  receive  not  one  farthing 
of  money  for  my  labors,  lest  it  should  be  spent  in 
liquor.  My  employers  said  they  would  purchase  me 
tobacco,  and  obtain  for  me  the  articles  I  needed,  as  far 
as  my  earnings  would  go ;  and,  under  these  stipula- 
tions, I  went  to  work  again.  I  kept,  in  a  great  degree, 
sober  for  a  few  days ;  but  felt  all  the  time  indescribably 


114     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

miserable,  from  the  consciousness  that  all  confidence 
in  me  had  been  lost,  and  that  I  was  a  suspected  man. 
This  impression  nettled  me  to  the  quick ;  and,  ere  long, 
I  began  to  feel  indignant  at  the  control  exercised  over 
me.  I  thought  that  as  I  had  battled  the  world  single- 
handed  for  twelve  years,  and  had  experienced  nothing 
(with  one  or  two  exceptions)  but  unkindness  and 
misery,  I  had  a  right  to  do  as  I  chose,  without  being 
watched  wherever  I  went.  My  proud  spirit  \vould 
not  brook  this  system  of  espionage,  so  I  speedily 
made  up  my  mind  to  do  as  I  pleased.  If  I  wanted 
drink,  I  considered  I  had  a  perfect  right  to  gratify 
my  inclinations,  and  drink  I  determined  to  have. 

Have  it  I  did,  though  secretly;  and  to  my  employ- 
ers it  was  a  matter  of  wonder  how  I  managed  to  get 
drunk  so  often.  My  funds,  as  I  said,  were  all  ex- 
pended, and  I  was  driven  by  my  ravenous  appetite 
to  a  course,  which  at  any  other  time,  and  under  any 
other  circumstances,  I  should  have  shrunk  from  in 
horror.  I  had  in  my  possession  some  books  which  I 
once  had  valued,  some  of  them  presents;  and  I  also 
retained  a  few  articles,  the  once  highly  valued  me- 
mentos of  dear  and  departed  friends.  As  I  looked 
eagerly  over  these  frail  remnants  of  what  I  once  pos- 
sessed, my  all-absorbing  passion  for  drink  exercised 
its  tyrannizing  power,  and  one  by  one,  until  none  re- 
mained, every  relic  was  disposed  of,  and  the  proceeds 
arising  from  the  sale  of  them  spent  for  rum.  Could 
there  be  a  more  striking  instance  of  the  debasing  in- 
fluence which  alcohol  exerts?  Why,  at  one  time,  I 
would  almost  as  soon  have  parted  with  my  life  as 
with  those  precious  remembrancers  of — 

"  The  loved,  the  lost,  the  distant,  and  the  dead." 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     115 

Now,  however,  all  finer  feeling  was  nearly  obliter- 
ated from  the  tablet  of  my  affections,  and  if  I  felt  any 
pang  in  parting  with  articles  I  once  so  prized,  the 
glass  was  my  universal  panacea.  At  length  nothing 
remained  on  which  I  could  raise  a  single  cent,  and  I 
found  in  the  lowest  depths  of  poverty  "a  lower  still." 

I  have  in  several  parts  of  this  narrative,  referred 
to  my  vocal  talents  and  my  ventriloquial  acquire- 
ments. After  every  other  resource  had  failed  me,  in 
my  utmost  need,  I  was  compelled,  as  the  only  means 
of  getting  a  little  rum,  to  avail  myself  of  these  aids. 
Accordingly,  my  custom  was  to  repair  to  the  lowest 
grog-shops,  and  there  I  might  usually  be  found  night 
after  night,  telling  facetious  stories,  singing  comic 
songs,  or  turning  books  upside  down  and  reading 
them  whilst  they  were  moving  round,  to  the  great 
delight  and  wonder  of  a  set  of  loafers  who  supplied 
me  with  drink  in  return.  The  first  effect  of  drink  on 
me  was  exhilaration,  and  that  was  very  quickly  pro- 
duced,— a  single  glass  would  mount  at  once  to  my 
brain,  and  the  natural  propensity  I  had  to  "make 
fun"  was  stimulated.  When  in  this  state  of  exhila- 
ration, no  absurdity  would  be  too  extravagant,  and 
no  extravagance  too  absurd  to  be  committed.  At  such 
times,  those  who  knew  me  expected  some  ridiculous 
freak,  and  in  Worcester  there  were  some  who  encour- 
aged me,  for  their  own  amusement.  I  give  an  illus- 
tration of  this,  remembered  by  several  now  living  in 
that  city: — 

It  was  at  the  period  of  the  "Millerite"  excitement, 
and  meetings  were  held  in  a  Methodist  church,  every 
evening  in  the  week.  One  evening  I  went  to  this 
church  with  three  or  four  companions.  I  had  been 


116     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

drinking,  but  took  a  seat  very  quietly/  It  was  a 
noisy  meeting, — half  a  dozen  praying  together,  with 
cries  of  "Glory,"  "Amen,"  "Hallelujah,"  "Bless  the 
Lord,"  and  like  ejaculations, — and  I  made  as  much 
noise  as  the  rest;  for,  when  some  one  near  me  would 
say  "Amen,"  I  would  shout,  "Yes,  brother,  or  sister," 
as  it  happened,  "Amen"  During  a  pause  in  the 
prayer  and  exhortation,  I  saw  a  square  wooden  spit- 
toon filled  with  sawdust,  quids  of  tobacco,  and  refuse. 
A  thought  took  possession  of  me,  suggested  by  the 
Evil  One,  that  it  would  be  a  good  joke  to  pass  that 
round  as  a  contribution-box.  I  well  remember  how  I 
felt  impelled  to  do  what  I  did.  Taking  the  spittoon 
in  my  hand,  as  I  rose  from  my  seat,  I  shouted,  "We 
will  now  proceed  to  take  up  a  contribution  for  the 
purchase  of  ascension  robes."  I  had  so  taken  the 
audience  by  surprise,  that  I  passed  the  box  along  in 
three  or  four  pews,  before  any  one  attempted  to  stop 
me;  but  soon  I  saw  one  of  the  principal  members  of 
the  church  approach  me,  and,  dropping  the  box  into  a 
man's  lap,  scattering  the  contents  over  him  and  on 
the  floor,  I  ran  off.  A  poor,  paltry  trick  it  was,  but  I 
deservedly  suffered  for  it  when  brought  before  Justice 
Green  in  the  morning.  He  fined  me  five  dollars  and 
costs  for  disturbing  public  worship.  The  fine  was 
paid  next  day,  and  to  this  time  I  do  not  know,  and 
have  never  been  able  to  ascertain,  who  paid  it. 

Ah  me!  who  could  have  recognized  in  the  gibing 
mountebank,  encircled  by  a  laughing,  drunken  crowd, 
the  son  of  religious  parents, — one  who  had  been  de- 
voted and  affectionate  not  so  very  long  before;  one, 
too,  who  had  felt  and  appreciated  the  pleasures  which 
religion  alone  can  bestow  ?  At  that  time  the  thought 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     117 

of  my  former  condition  would  flash  across  my  mind 
when  in  the  midst  of  riot  and  revelry;  conviction 
would  fasten  its  quivering  arrow  in  my  heart,  making 
it  bleed  again, — although  I  was  obliged  to  hide  the 
wound.  And  through  the  mists  of  memory  my  moth- 
er's face  would  often  appear,  just  as  it  was  when  I 
stood  by  her  knee  and  listened  to  lessons  of  wisdom 
and  goodness  from  her  loving  lips.  I  would  see  her 
mild,  reproving  face,  and  seem  to  hear  her  warning 
voice;  an(J,  surrounded  by  my  riotous  companions,  at 
certain  seasons  reason  would  struggle  for  the  throne 
whence  she  had  been  driven;  and  I  would,  whilst  en- 
joying the  loud  plaudits  of  sots,  "see  a  hand  they 
could  not  see,  which  beckoned  me  away." 

How  apt  the  world  is  to  judge  of  a  man  pursuing 
the  course  I  did,  as  one  destitute  of  all  feeling, — with 
no  ambition,  no  desire  for  better  things !  To  speak 
of  such  a  man's  pride  seems  absurd ;  and  yet,  drink 
does  not  destroy  pride,  ambition,  or  high  aspirations. 
The  sting  of  his  misery  is,  that  he  has  ambition,  but 
no  expectation ;  desire  for  better  things,  but  no  hope ; 
pride,  but  no  energy;  therefore,  the  possession  of 
these  very  qualities  is  an  additional  burden  to  his 
load  of  agony.  Could  he  utterly  forget  his  manhood, 
and  wallow  with  the  beasts  that  perish,  he  would  be 
comparatively  happy.  But  his  curse  is,  that  he  thinks. 
He  is  a  man,  and  must  think.  He  cannot  always 
drown  thought  or  memory.  He  may,  and  does,  fly 
for  false  solace  to  the  drink,  and  may  stun  his  enemy 
in  the  evening ;  but  it  will  rend  him  like  a  giant  in 
the  morning.  A  flower,  a  half-remembered  tune,  a 
child's  laughter,  will  sometimes  suffice  to  flood  the 
victim  with  recollections  that  either  madden  him  to 
8 


118     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

excess,  or  send  him  crouching  to  his  miserable  room, 
to  sit  with  face  buried  in  his  hands,  while  the  hot,  thin 
tears  trickle  over  his  swollen  fingers. 

My  experience  on  the  Fourth  of  July,  1842,  will  illus- 
trate this  fact.  I  was  destitute  of  friends,  and  there- 
fore determined  that  I  would  work  at  the  shop  that 
day.  About  eleven  o'clock  I  heard  the  sound  of 
music,  the  beating  of  drums,  and  the  blast  of  instru- 
ments, and  felt  at  first  inclined  to  go  out  and  see  the 
procession,  when  some  one  came  into  the  shop  and 
said : — 

"The  cold  water  army  looks  finely;  won't  you  go 
and  look  at  them?" 

Cold  water  army, — what  had  I  to  do  with  them? 
I  said : — 

"I  suppose  a  parcel  of  old  women  and  children  are 
parading  the  street,"— 7- and  turned  again  to  my  work. 
But  the  music  came  nearer  and  nearer,  and  burst  with 
a  crash  on  my  ear.  Well,  I  thought,  I  will  go  and 
hear  the  music,  at  any  rate.  I  pulled  off  my  apron,  put 
on  my  coat,  and  as  I  walked  up  the  street,  the  proces- 
sion was  just  turning  down  by  the  Central  Hotel,  and 
I  stood,  leaning  against  a  post,  looking  on.  I  was 
well  known  on  the  street,  and,  in  my  reckless  bravado, 
I  determined  that  none  should  see  me  interested  in 
such  a  "humbug;"  so,  with  a  sneer  on  my  lip,  I — the 
poor,  the  shabby,  the  degraded — stood  contemptu- 
ously surveying  the  parade.  What  a  company  of 
children!  How  they  shouted, — the  boys  hurrahing, 
and  the  girls  waving  their  handkerchiefs,  with  their 
banners  and  mottoes!  How  happy  and  cheerful,  how 
pure  and  beautiful !  I  watched  them  till  the  last  boy 
turned  the  corner;  but  there  I  stood,  even  till  the 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     119 

music  almost  died  away  in  the  distance, — the  sneer 
on  my  lip  yet,  but  the  tears  silently  flowing  down  my 
cheeks.  With  a  start  and  a  heavy  sigh,  I  turned 
away, — oh  !  so  utterly  miserable, — shut  out  by  my 
own  act  from  all  participation  in  such  pure  delights. 
Lonely  and  desolate,  I  turned  away.  I  had  been 
thinking — involuntarily  thinking — of  the  time  when 
I  was  a  happy,  cheerful  boy ;  of  the  Sunday-school 
celebration  in  which  I  was  appointed  to  read  a  hymn, 
and  "  speak  my  piece ; "  of  the  mother  so  dearly 
loved,  whose  precepts  I  had  forgotten ;  of  the  hopes 
that  were  so  bright  long  ago.  Yes:  thinking  till  my 
heart  wras  like  to  break;  thinking  till  I  grew  almost 
wild ;  the  convulsive  working  of  my  throat  painfully 
testifying  how  I  was  stirred,  as  I  slid  down  an  obscure 
street,  that  I  might  not  be  seen,  gained  the  shop,  and 
worked  and  thought  till  I  was  almost  mad.  How  I 
endured  that  day  of  agony  I  cannot  tell.  It  seems 
to  me  now,  that  if  one  word  of  kindness  had  been 
spoken  to  me  then, — one  touch  of  a  loving  hand, — 
one  look  of  sympathy  from  any  human  being  had 
been  given  me, — I  could  have  been  led  anywhere. 
But  no  man  cared  for  my  soul ;  and  I  continued  on 
like  an  Arab  of  civilized  society, — my  hand  against 
every  man,  because  I  believed  every  man's  hand  was 
against  me. 

The  Sabbaths  which,  from  my  childhood,  I  had 
been  taught  to  reverence,  were  now  disregarded. 
Seldom  did  I  enter  God's  house,  where  "  prayer  was 
wont  to  be  made,"  as  I  had  done  during  a  portion  of 
the  time  I  resided  in  New  York.  The  day  of  rest  was 
no  Sabbath  to  me;  and  my  usual  way  of  spending  it 
was  to  stroll  into  the  country,  where  I  might  be 


120     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

alone,  with  a  bottle  of  intoxicating  liquid  in  my  pos-, 
session.  When  this  was  empty,  I  would  crawl  back 
to  the  town,  under  cover  of  the  darkness,  and  close 
the  sacred  hours  in  some  obscure  groggery,  in  the 
society  of  those  who;  like  myself,  disregarded  the 
command  of  the  Almighty  to  "keep  holy  the  Sab- 
bath day." 

I  boarded  for  a  few  weeks  with  Mrs.  Congdon, 
who,  with  her  family,  bore  with  me  very  patiently, 
and,  I  believe,  felt  some  interest  for  me.  While  there,  • 
Mr.  H.  W.  Hawkins  was  engaged  to  speak  at  the 
town  hall,  and  Mrs.  Congdon  entertained  him.  I 
heard  it  whispered  that  an  effort  would  be  made  to 
bring  us  together;  to  prevent  which,  I  absented  my- 
self from  the  house  till  very  late,  and  so  avoided  him. 
In  the  morning,  as  I  was  proceeding  to  my  work,  a 
stage  drove  up  to  the  door,  and  I  waited  to  see  who 
was  the  traveler,  when  Mr.  Hawkins  came  out,  and  I 
saw  him  (I  met  a  gentleman  the  other  day  who  told 
me  that  he  distinctly  remembered  Mr.  Hawkins 
speaking  to  me  on  that  occasion) ;  and  in  reply  to  his 
inquiry  whether  I  would  sign  the  pledge,  said,  "Yes, 
if  I  can  get  $1000  a  year  and  my  expenses,  as  you  do." 
This  was  miserable  bravado ;  and  yet,  as  I  left  him, 
I  chuckled  as  if  I  had  got  the  better  of  him. 

Again  the  dreary  winter  was  about  to  resume  its 
rigorous  reign,  and,  with  horror,  I  anticipated  its  ap- 
proach. My  stock  of  clothing  was  failing  fast.  I  had 
no  flannels,  or  woolen  socks,  no  extra  coats,  and  no 
means  of  procuring  those  absolutely  necessary  pre- 
servatives against  the  severities  of  an  American  win- 
ter. I  had  no  hope  of  ever  becoming  a  respectable 
man  again, — not  the  slightest, — for  it  appeared  to  me 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     121 

that  every  chance  of  restoration  to  decent  society, 
and  of  reformation,  were  gone  forever.  I  wished,  and 
fully  expected,  soon  to  die.  Hope  had  abandoned 
me  here;  and  beyond  the  grave  nothing  appeared 
calculated  to  cheer  my  desponding  spirit.  Oh,  what 
a  deep  and  stinging  sense  I  had  of  my  own  degraded 
position!  for  my  feelings  were  keenly  alive  to  the 
ridicule  and  contempt  which  never  ceased  to  be 
heaped  on  me.  Utterly  wretched  and  abandoned,  I 
have  stood  by  the  railway  track  with  a  vague  wish 
to  lie  across  it,  drink  myself  into  oblivion,  and  let 
the  cars  go  over  me !  Once  I  stood  by  the  rails,  with 
a  bottle  of  laudanum  clattering  against  my  lips,  and 
had  nearly  been  a  suicide ;  but  the  mercy  of  God  in- 
terposed, and  I  dashed  the  poison  on  the  ground,  and 
escaped  the  sin  of  self-murder.  I  was  but  a  young 
man,  yet  steeped  to  the  lips  in  poverty,  degradation, 
and  misery;  with  energies  which,  had  they  been 
rightly  directed,  might  have  enabled  me  to  surmount 
difficulty  and  command  respect. 

I  had  long  since  ceased  to  correspond  with  my  sis- 
ter, and  so  careless  had  I  become,  that  I  never 
thought  of  communicating  again  with  the  only  rela- 
tive I  had  remaining.  Frequently  was  I  tempted  to 
take  my  life ;  and  yet,  I  clung  instinctively  to  exist- 
ence. Sleep  was  often  a  stranger  to  my  eyelids,  and 
many  a  night  would  I  spend  in  the  open  air,  some- 
times in  a  miserable  state  of  inebriation,  and  at  other 
times  in  a  half  sober  condition.  All  this  time  I  often 
resolved  that  I  would  drink  no  more, — that  I  would 
break  the  chain  which  bound  me ;  but  I  still  contin- 
ued in  the  same  course,  breaking  every  promise  made 
to  myself  and  others,  and  continuing  an  object  of 


122     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

scorn  and  contempt.  I  felt  that  very  few,  if  any,  pit- 
ied me;  and  that  any  should  love  me,  was  entirely 
out  of  the  question.  Yet  was  I  yearning  intensely 
for  sympathy;  for,  as  I  have  before  stated,  my  affec- 
tions were  naturally  strong  and  deep;  and  often,  as  I 
lay  in  my  solitary  chamber,  feeling  how  low  I  had 
sunk,  and  that  no  eye  ever  dropped  a  tear  of  pity 
over  my  state,  or  would  grow  dim  if  I  were  laid  in 
the  grave, — I  have  ardently  wished  that  I  might 
never  see  the  morning  light. 

Fancy,  reader,  what  my  agony  must  have  been, 
when,  with  the  assurance  that  no  drunkard  could 
enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  I  was  willing, — nay, 
anxious, — in  order  to  escape  the  tortures  to  which  I 
was  subjected  in  this  life,  to  risk  the  awful  realities 
of  the  unseen  world!  My  punishment  here  was 
greater  than  I  could  bear.  I  had  made  a  whip  of 
scorpions,  which  perpetually  lashed  me.  My  name 
was  a  by-word.  No  man  seemed  to  care  for  my  soul. 
I  was  joined,  like  Israel  of  old,  unto  idols,  and  it 
seemed  as  if  the  Lord  had  said  respecting  me:  "Let 
him  alone ! " 

Before  I  conclude  this  portion  of  my  history,  let 
me  urge  on  every  young  man  whose  eye  may  glance 
over  these  pages,  to  learn  from  my  miserable  state  a 
lesson  of  wisdom.  Let  him  beware  of  the  liquor  that 
intoxicates.  Poets  may  sing  of  the  Circean  CUD, — 
praise  in  glowing  terms  the  garlands  which  wreathe 
it;  wit  may  lend  its  brilliant  aid  to  celebrate  it,  and 
even  learning  may  invest  it  with  a  charm ; — but  when 
the  poet's  song  shall  have  died,  and  the  garlands 
withered ;  when  wit  shall  have  ceased  to  sparkle, 
and  the  lore  of  ages  be  an  unremembered  thing, — 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     123 

the  baneful  effects  of  the  intoxicating  draught  will 
be  felt,  and  then  will  the  words  of  wisdom  be  aw- 
fully verified  in  the  miserable  doom  of  the  drunkard : 
"Wine  is  a  mocker,  strong  drink  is  raging."  "Who 
hath  wo?  who  hath  sorrow?  who  hath  contentions? 
who  hath  wounds  without  cause?  who  hath  redness 
of  eyes  ?  They  that  tarry  long  at  the  wine ;  they 
that  go  to  seek  mixed  wine.  Look  not  thou  upon 
the  wine  when  it  is  red,  when  it  giveth  its  color  in 
the  cup,  when  it  moveth  itself  aright.  At  the  last  it 
biteth  like  a  serpent,  and  stingeth  like  an  adder." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

My  Miserable  Condition — Memory  and  Effects  of  it  Now — Joel  Strat- 
ton — The  Touch  on  my  Shoulder — Our  Walk — My  Promise — Tem- 
perance Meeting  in  Town  Hall,  Worcester — First  Speech  in  Public 
— Signing  the  Pledge — The  Struggle — Jesse  Goodrich — Terrible 
Sickness — Recovery. 

HITHERTO  my  career  had  been  one  of  almost  un- 
mitigated woe;  for,  with  the  exception  of  the  days 
of  my  childhood,  my  whole  life  had  been  one  per- 
petual struggle  against  poverty  and  misery  in  its 
worst  forms.  Thrown  at  a  tender  age  upon  the  world, 
I  was  soon  taught  its  hard  lessons.  Death  had  robbed 
me  of  my  best  earthly  protector,  and  providence 
cast  my  lot  in  a  land  thousands  of  miles  from  the 
place  of  my  birth..  Temptation  had  assailed  me, 
and,  trusting  to  my  own  strength  for  support,  I  had 
fallen, — oh,  how  low!  In  the  midst  of  thousands,  I 
was  lonely ;  and,  abandoning  hope,  the  only  refuge 
which  seemed  open  for  me  was  the  grave.  A  dark 
pall  overhung  that  gloomy  abode,  which  shut  out 
every  ray  of  hope ;  and,  although  death  to  me  would 
have  been  a  "leap,  in  the  dark,"  I  was  willing  to  peril 
my  immortal  soul,  and  blindly  rush  into  the  presence 
of  my  Maker.  Like  a  stricken  deer,  I  had  no  com- 
munion with  my  kind.  Over  every  door  of  admission 
into  the  society  of  my  fellow-men,  the  words,  "No 
hope,"  seemed  to  be  inscribed.  Despair  was  my 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     125 

companion,  and  perpetual  degradation  appeared  to 
be  my  allotted  doom.  I  was  intensely  wretched,  and 
this  dreadful  state  of  things  was  of  my  own  bringing 
about.  I  had  no  one  but  myself  to  blame  for  the 
sufferings  I  endured;  and,  when  I  thought  of  what 
I  might  have  been,  these  inflictions  were  awful  be- 
yond conception.  Lower  in  the  scale  of  mental  and 
moral  degradation  I  could  not  well  sink.  Despised 
by  all,  I  despised  and  hated  in  my  turn;  and  dog- 
gedly flung  back  to  the  world  the  contempt  and  scorn 
which  it  so  profusely  heaped  on  rny  head. 

Such  was  my  pitiable  state  at  this  period, — a  state 
apparently  beyond  the  hope  of  redemption.  But  a 
change  was  about  to  take  place, — a  circumstance 
which  eventually  turned  the  whole  current  of  my 
life  into  a  new  and  unhoped  for  channel. 

Here  let  me  pause :  Reader,  this  has  been  a  sad  and 
awful  revelation ;  my  cheeks  have  burned  with  shame, 
as  I  have  written;  and  I  have  been  strongly  tempted 
to  tone  down,  or  draw  a  veil  over  portions  of  this 
narrative,  but  I  have  told  the  truth,  plain  and  unvar- 
nished. As  I  look  back  to  1842, — twenty-seven  years 
ago, — it  seems  almost  a  hideous  dream ;  I  can  hardly 
realize  my  identity  with  .the  staggering,  hopeless 
victim  of  the  terrible  vice  of  intemperance ;  but  the 
scars  remain  to  testify  the  reality ;  yes,  scars  and 
marks  never  to  be  eradicated ;  never  to  be  removed 
in  this  life.  Saved  I  may  be  so  as  by  fire,  yet  the 
scar  of  fire  is  on  me ;  the  nails  may  be  drawn,  but 
the  marks  are  there.  Do  I  not  bear  about  with  me 
the  remembrance  of  these  days  ?  yes,  always.  I 
never  rise  to  speak,  but  I  think  of  it ;  the  more  I 
mingle  with  the  wise,  the  pure,  the  true, — the  higher 


126     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

my  aspirations, — the  more  intense  is  my  disgust  and 
abhorrence  of  the  damning  degradation  of  those  seven 
years  of  my  life  from  eighteen  to  twenty-five.  I  am 
intensely  social  in  my  nature,  and  enjoy  the  society 
of  friends  keenly ;  yet  often  in  the  midst  of  the  pleas- 
ant social  circle,  the  ghost  of  the  past  comes  glid- 
ing before  me,  and  words  seem  to  be  hissed  in  my 
ear :  "  What  is  your  record  ?  "  I  believe  this  to  be 
one  reason  why  I  shrink  from  society ;  why  I  have  so 
often  refused  kind  invitations;  why,  though  I  love  my 
personal  friends  as  strongly  and  as  truly  as  any  man's 
friends  are  ever  loved,  I  have  so  steadily  withdrawn 
from  social  parties,  dinners,  or  introductions.  This  is 
the  penalty  I  must  ever  pay. 

A  man  can  never  recover  from  the  effects  of  such 
a  seven  years'  experience,  morally  or  physically. 
Lessons  learned  in  such  a  school,  are  not  forgotten; 
impressions  made  in  such  a  furnace  of  sin  are  perma- 
nent; the  nature  so  warped  in  such  crooked  ways, 
must  retain  in  some  degree  the  shape;  lodgments 
are  made  by  such  horrible  contacts  and  associations, 
that  nothing  but  the  mighty  spirit  of  God  can  eradi- 
cate. Young  men,  I  say  to  you,  looking  back  at  the 
fire  where  I  lay  scorching, — at  the  bed  of  torture, 
where  the  iron  entered  my  soul, — yes,  looking  back 
at  the  past;  standing,  as  I  trust  I  do,  under  the  arch 
of  the  bow,  one  base  of  which  rests  on  the  dark  days, 
and  the  other  I  hope  on  the  sunny  slopes  of  paradise, 
— I  say  to  you,  in  view  of  the  awful  evil  spreading 
around  you,  beware !  tamper  not  with  the  accursed 
thing, — and  may  God  forbid  that  you  should  ever  suf- 
fer as  I  have  suffered,  or  be  called  to  fight  such  a 
battle  as  I  fought  for  body  and  soul. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     127 

The  month  of  October  had  nearly  drawn  to  a  close, 
and  on  its  last  Sunday  evening  I  wandered  out  into 
the  streets,  pondering  as  well  as  I  was  able  to  do, — for 
I  was  somewhat  intoxicated, — on  my  lone  and  friend- 
less condition.  My  frame  was  much  weakened  by 
habitual  indulgence  in  intoxicating  liquors,  and  little 
fitted  to  bear  the  cold  of  winter,  which  had  already 
begun  to  come  on.  But  I  had  no  means  of  protecting 
myself  against  the  bitter  blast,  and,  as  I  anticipated 
my  coming  misery,  I  staggered  along,  houseless,  aim- 
less, and  all  but  hopeless. 

Some  one  tapped  me  on  the  shoulder.  An  unusual 
thing  that,  to  occur  to  me ;  for  no  one  now  cared  to 
come  in  contact  with  the  wretched,  shabby  looking 
drunkard.  I  was  a  disgrace, — "a  living,  walking  dis- 
grace." I  could  scarcely  believe  my  own  senses  when 
I  turned  and  met  a  kind  look ;  the  thing  was  so  un- 
usual, and  so  entirely  unexpected,  that  I  questioned 
the  reality  of  it, — but  so  it  was.  It  was  the  first  touch 
of  kindness  which  I  had  known  for  months ;  and,  sim- 
ple and  trifling  as  the  circumstance  may  appear  to 
many,  it  went  right  to  my  heart,  and,  like  the  wing 
of  an  angel,  troubled  the  waters  in  that  stagnant  pool 
of  affection,  and  made  them  once  more  reflect  a  little 
of  the  light  of  human  love.  The  person  who  touched 
my  shoulder  was  an  entire  stranger.  I  looked  at  him, 
wondering  what  his  business  was  with  me.  Regarding 
me  very  earnestly,  and  apparently  with  much  interest, 
he  said : — 

«Mr.  Gough,  I  believe?" 

"  That  is  my  name,"  I  replied,  and  was  passing  on. 

"  You  have  been  drinking  to-day,"  said  the  stranger, 
in  a  Jdnd  voice,  which  arrested  my  attention,  and 


128     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

quite  dispelled  any  anger  at  what  I  might  otherwise 
have  considered  an  officious  interference  in  my  affairs. 

"Yes,  sir,"  I  replied,  "I  have." 

"Why  do  you  not  sign  the  pledge?"  was  the  next 
query. 

I  considered  for  a  minute  or  two,  and  then  informed 
the  strange  friend,  who  had  so  unexpectedly  inter- 
ested himself  in  my  behalf,  that  I  had  no  hope  of 
ever  again  becoming  a  sober  man;  that  I  was  without 
a  single  friend  in  the  world  who  cared  for  me,  or 
what  became  of  me ;  that  I  fully  expected  to  die 
very  soon, — I  cared  not  how  soon,  or  whether  I  died 
drunk  or  sober;  and,  in  fact,  that  I  was  in  a  con- 
dition of  utter  recklessness.  , 

The  stranger  regarded  me  with  a  benevolent  look, 
took  me  by  the  arm,  and  asked  me  how  I  should 
like  to  be  as  I  once  was,  respectable  and  esteemed, 
well  clad,  and  sitting  as  I  used  to,  in  a  place  of  wor- 
ship ;  enabled  to  meet  my  friends  as  in  old  times,  and 
receive  from  them  the  pleasant  nod  of  recognition  as 
formerly, — in  fact,  become  a  useful  member  of  society? 
"Oh,"  I  replied,  "I  should  like  all  these  things  first 
rate;  but  I  have  no  expectation  that  such  a  thing 
will  ever  happen.  Such  a  change  cannot  be  possible." 

"Only  sign  our  pledge,"  remarked  my  friend,  "and 
I  will  warrant  that  it  shall  be  so.  Sign  it,  and  I  will 
introduce  you  myself  to  good  friends,  who  will  feel 
an  interest  in  your  welfare  and  take  a  pleasure  in 
helping  you  to  keep  your  good  resolutions.  Only, 
Mr.  Gough,  sign  the  pledge,  and  all  will  be  as  I  have 
said ;  ay,  and  more  too  ?  " 

Oh!  how  pleasantly  fell  these  words  of  kindness 
and  promise  on  my  crushed  and  bruised  heart.  I  had 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     129 

long  been  a  stranger  to  feelings  such  as  now  awoke 
in  my  bosom.  A  chord  had  been  touched  which  vi- 
brated to  the  tone  of  love.  Hope  once  more  dawned ; 
and  I  began  to  think,  strange  as  it  appeared,  that 
such  things  as  my  friend  promised  me  might  come  to 
pass.  On  the  instant  I  resolved  to  try,  at  least,  and 
said  to  the  stranger: — 

"Well,  I  will  sign  it." 

"When?"  he  asked. 

"  I  cannot  do  so  to-night,"  I  replied, "  for  I  must  have 
some  more  drink  presently;  but  I  certainly  will  to- 
morrow." 

"  We  have  a  temperance  meeting  to-morrow  even- 
ing," he  said;  "will  you  sign  it  then?" 

" I  will." 

"  That  is  right,"  said  he,  grasping  my  hand ;  u  I  will 
be  there  to  see  you  ?  " 

"  You  shall,"  I  remarked,  and  we  parted. 

I  went  on  my  way  much  touched  by  the  kind  in- 
terest which,  at  last,  some  one  had  taken  in  my  wel- 
fare. I  said  to  myself:.  "If  it  should  be  the  last  act  of 
my  life,  I  will  perform  my  promise  and  sign  it,  even 
though  I  die  in  the  attempt ;  for  that  man  has  placed 
confidence  in  me,  and  on  that  account  I  love  him." 

I  then  proceeded  to  a  low  groggery  in  Lincoln 
Square  hotel,  and  in  the  space  of  half  an  hour,  drank 
several  glasses  of  brandy ;  this,  in  addition  to  what  I 
had  taken  before,  made  me  very  drunk,  and  I  stag- 
gered home  as  well  as  I  could. 

Arrived  there,  I  threw  myself  on  the  bed  and  lay 
in  a  state  of  insensibility  until  morning.  The  first 
thing  which  occurred  to  my  mind  on  awaking,  was 
the  promise  I  had  made  on  the  evening  before,  to  sign 


130     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

the  pledge;  and  feeling,  as  I  usually  did  on  the  morn- 
ing succeeding  a  drunken  bout,  wretched  and  desolate, 
I  was  almost  sorry  that  I  had  agreed  to  do  so.  My 
tongue  was  dry,  my  throat  parched,  my  temples 
throbbed  as  if  they  would  burst,  and  I  had  a  horrible 
burning  feeling  in  my  stomach  which  almost  mad- 
dened me,  and  I  felt  that  I  must  have  some  bitters  or 
I  should  die.  So  I  yielded  to  my  appetite,  which 
would  not  be  appeased,  and  repaired  to  the  same  hotel 
where  I  had  squandered  away  so  many  shillings  be- 
fore ;  there  I  drank  three  or  four  times,  until  my 
nerves  were  a  little  strung,  and  then  I  went  to  work. 
All  that  day,  the  coming  event  of  the  evening  was 
continually  before  my  mind's  eye,  and  it  seemed  to 
me  as  if  the  appetite  which  had  so  long  controlled 
me,  exerted  more  power  over  me  than  ever.  It  grew 
stronger  than  I  had  at  any  time  known  it,  now  that  I 
was  about  to  rid  myself  of  it.  Until  noon  I  struggled 
against  its  cravings,  and  then,  unable  to  endure  my 
misery  any  longer,  I  made  some  excuse  for  leaving 
the  shop,  and  went  nearly  a  mile  from  it  in  order  to 
procure  one  more  glass  wherewith  to  appease  the  de- 
mon who  so  tortured  me.  The  day  wore  wearily 
away,  and  when  evening  came,  I  determined,  in  spite 
of  many  a  hesitation,  to  perform  the  promise  I  had 
made  to  the  stranger  the  night  before.  The  meeting 
was  to  be  held  at  the  lower  town  hall,  "Worcester ;  and 
thither,  clad  in  an  old  brown  surtout,  closely  buttoned 
up  to  my  chin,  that  my  ragged  habiliments  beneath 
might  not  be  visible,  I  went.  I  took  a  place  among 
the  rest,  and,  when  an  opportunity  of  speaking  offered 
itself,  I  requested  permission  to  be  heard,  which  was 
readily  granted. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     131 

When  I  stood  up  to  relate  my  story,  I  was  invited 
to  the  stand,  to  which  I  repaired;  and,  on  turning  to 
face  the  audience,  I  recognized  my  acquaintance  who 
had  asked  me  to  sign.  It  was  Mr.  Joel  Stratton.  He 
greeted  me  with  a  smile  of  approbation,  which  nerved 
and  strengthened  me  for  my  task,  as  I  tremblingly 
observed  every  eye  fixed  upon  me.  I  lifted  my 
quivering  hand,  and  then  and  there,  told  what  rum 
had  done  for  me.  I  related  how  I  was  once  respect- 
able and  happy,  and  had  a  home;  but  that  now  I 
was  a  houseless,  miserable,  scathed,  diseased,  and 
blighted  outcast  from  society.  I  said  scarce  a  hope 
remained  to  me  of  ever  becoming  that  which  I  once 
was;  but,  having  promised  to  sign  the  pledge,  I  had 
determined  not  to  break  my  word,  and  would  now 
affix  my  name  to  it.  In  my  palsied  hand  I  with  diffi- 
culty grasped  the  pen,  and,  in  characters  almost  as 
crooked  as  those  of  old  Stephen  Hopkins  on  the  Dec- 
laration of  Independence,  I  signed  the  total  absti- 
nence pledge,  and  resolved  to  free  myself  from  the 
inexorable  tyrant, — rum. 

Although  still  desponding  and  hopeless,  I  felt  that 
I  was  relieved  from  a  part  of  my  heavy  load.  It  was 
not  because  I  deemed  there  was  any  supernatural 
power  in  the  pledge  which  would  prevent  my  ever 
again  falling  into  such  depths  of  woe  as  I  had  already 
become  acquainted  with,  but  the  feeling  of  relief 
arose  from  the  honest  desire  I  entertained  to  keep  a 
good  resolution.  I  had  exerted  a  moral  power  which 
had  long  remained  lying  by,  perfectly  useless.  The 
very  idea  of  what  I  had  done,  strengthened  and  en- 
couraged me.  Nor  was  this  the  only  impulse  given 
me  to  proceed  in  my  new  pathway ;  for  many  who  wit- 


132     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

nessed  my  signing  and  heard  my  simple  statement, 
came  forward,  kindly  grasped  my  hand,  and  expressed 
their  satisfaction  at  the  step  I  had  taken.  A  new  and 
better  day  seemed  already  to  have  dawned  upon  me. 

As  I  left  the  hall,  agitated  and  enervated,  I  remem- 
ber chuckling  to  myself,  with  great  gratification,  "I 
have  done  it, — I  have  done  it!"  There  was  a  degree 
of  pleasure  in  having  put  my  foot  on  the  head  of  the 
tyrant  who  had  so  long  led  me  captive  at  his  will; 
but,  although  I  had  "scotched  the  snake,"  I  had  not 
killed  him ;  for  every  inch  of  his  frame  was  full  of 
venomous  vitality,  and  I  felt  that  all  my  caution  was 
necessary  to  prevent  his  stinging  me  afresh. 

I  went  home,  retired  to  bed;  but  in  vain  did  I  try 
to  sleep.  I  pondered  upon  the  step  I  had  taken,  and 
passed  a  restless  night.  Knowing  that  I  had  volun- 
tarily renounced  drink,  I  endeavored  to  support  my 
sufferings,  and  resist  the  incessant  craving  of  my  re- 
morseless appetite  as  well  as  I  could;  but  the  strug- 
gle to  overcome  it  was  insupportably  painful.  When 
I  got  up  in  the  morning,  my  brain  seemed  as  though 
it  would  burst  with  the  intensity  of  its  agony;  my 
throat  appeared  as  if  it  were  on  fire;  and  in  my 
stomach,  I  experienced  a  dreadful  burning  sensation, 
as  if  the  fires  of  the  pit  had  been  kindled  there.  My 
hands  trembled  so,  that  to  raise  water  to  my  feverish 
lips  was  almost  impossible.  I  craved,  literally  gasped, 
for  my  accustomed  stimulus,  and  felt  that  I  should  die 
if  I  did  not  have  it;  but  I  persevered  in  my  resolve, 
and  withstood  the  temptations  which  assailed  me  on 
every  hand. 

Still,  during  all  this  frightful  time,  I  experienced  a 
feeling  somewhat  akin  to  satisfaction,  at  the  position 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     133 

I  had  taken.  I  had  made  at  least  one  step  towards 
reformation.  I  began  to  think  that  it  was  barely  pos- 
sible I  might  see  better  days,  and  once  more  hold  up 
my  head  in  society.  Such  feelings  as  these  would  al- 
ternate with  gloomy  forebodings  and  "thick  coming 
fancies"  of  approaching  ill.  At  one  time  hope,  and 
at  another  fear,  would  predominate ;  but  the  raging, 
dreadful,  continued  thirst  was  always  present,  to  tor- 
ture and  tempt  me. 

After  breakfast,  T  proceeded  to  the  shop  where  I 
was  employed,  feeling  dreadfully  ill.  I  determined, 
however,  to  put  a  bold  face  on  the  matter,  and,  in 
spite  of  the  cloud  which  seemed  to  hang  over  me,  at- 
tempt work.  I  was  exceedingly  weak,  and  fancied, 
as  I  almost  reeled  about  the  shop,  that  every  eye  was 
fixed  upon  me  suspiciously,  although  I  exerted  my- 
self to  the  utmost  to  conceal  my  agitation.  I  was 
suffering;  and  those  who  have  never  thus  suffered 
cannot  comprehend  it.  The  shivering  of  the  spine ; 
then,  flushes  of  heat,  causing  every  pore  of  the  body 
to  sting,  as  if  punctured  with  some  sharp  instru- 
ment ;  the  horrible  whisperings  in  the  ear,  combined 
with  a  longing  cry  of  the  whole  system  for  stimu- 
lants : — "  One  glass  of  brandy  would  steady  my  shaking 
nerves ;  I  cannot  hold  my  hand  still ;  I  cannot  stand 
still ;  a  young  man  but  twenty-five  years  of  age,  and 
I  have  no  control  of  my  nerves  ;  one  glass  of  brandy 
would  relieve  this  gnawing,  aching,  throbbing  stom- 
ach; but  I  have  signed  the  pledge, — 'I  do  agree  that 
I  will  not  use  it,' — and  I  must  fight  it  out."  How  I 
got  through  the  day  I  cannot  tell.  I  went  to  my 
employer  and  said  : — 

"  I  signed  the  pledge  last  night." 
9 


134     AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

"  I  know  you  did." 

"  I  mean  to  keep  it." 

"  So  they  all  say,  and  I  hope  you  will." 

"  You  do  not  believe  I  will ;  you  have  no  confidence 
in  me." 

"  None  whatever." 

I  turned  to  my  work  broken-hearted ;  crushed  in 
spirit,  paralyzed  in  energy,  feeling  how  low  I  had  sunk 
in  the  esteem  of  prudent  and  sober-minded  men.  Sud- 
denly the  small  iron  bar  I  held  in  my  hand  began  to 
move;  I  felt  it  move,  I  griped  it, — still  it  moved  and 
twisted  ;•  I  griped  still  harder, — yet  the  thing  would 
move  till  I  could  feel  it — yes,  feel  it — tearing  the  palm 
out  of  my  hand,  then  I  dropped  it, — and  there  it  lay, 
a  curling,  slimy  snake !  I  could  hear  the  paper  shav- 
ings rustle  as  the  horrible  thing  writhed  before  me ! 
If  it  had  been  a  snake,  I  should  not  have  minded  it. 
I  was  never  afraid  of  a  snake;  I  should  have  called 
some  one  to  look  at  it;  I  could  have  killed  it.  I 
should  not  have  been  terrified  at  a  thing;  but  I 
knew  it  was  a  cold,  dead  bar  of  iron,  and  there  it 
was,  with  its  green  eyes,  its  forked,  darting  tongue, 
curling  in  all  its  slimy  loathsomeness!  and  the  horror 
filled  me  so  that  my  hair  seemed  to  stand  up  and 
shiver,  and  my  skin  lift  from  the  scalp  to  the  ancles, 
and  I  groaned  out,  "I  cannot  fight  this  through !  Oh! 
my  God,  I  shall  die!  I  cannot  fight  it!" — when  a 
gentleman  came  into  the  shop  with  a  cheerful — 

"Good  morning,  Mr.  Gough." 

"Good  morning,  sir." 

"I  saw  you  sign  the  pledge  last  night." 

"Yes,  sir,  I  did  it." 

"I  was  very  glad  to  see  you  do  it,  and  many  young 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     135 

men  followed  your  example.  It  is  just  such  men  as 
you  that  we  want,  and  I  hope  you  will  be  the  means 
of  doing  a  great  deal  of  good.  My  office  is  in  the 
Exchange;  come  in  and  see  me.  I  shall  be  happy  to 
make  your  acquaintance.  I  have  only  a  minute  or 
two  to  spare,  but  I  thought  I  would  just  call  in  and 
tell  you  to  keep  up  a  brave  heart.  Good-bye ;  God 
bless  you.  Come  in  and  see  me." 

That  was  Jesse  Goodrich,  then  a  practicing  attorney 
and  counselor  at  law,  in  Worcester,  now  dead, — but  to 
the  last  of  his  life  my  true  and  faithful  friend.  It 
would  be  impossible  to  describe  how  this  little  act  of 
kindness  cheered  me.  With  the  exception  of  Joel 
Stratton,  who  was  a  waiter  at  a  temperance  hotel,  and 
who  had  asked  me  to  sign  the  pledge,  no  one  had  ac- 
costed me  for  months  in  a  manner  which  would  lead 
me  to  think  any  one  cared  for  me,  or  what  might  be  my 
fate.  Now  I  was  not  altogether  alone  in  the  world; 
there  was  a  hope  of  my  being  rescued  from  the  "slough 
of  despond,"  where  I  had  been  so  long  floundering.  I 
felt  that  the  fountain  of  human  kindness  was  not  ut- 
terly sealed  up,  and  again  a  green  spot,  an  oasis — small 
indeed,  but  cheering — appeared  in  the  desert  of  life. 
I  had  something  now  to  live  for;  a  new  desire  for  life 
seemed  suddenly  to  spring  up;  the  universal  boun- 
dary of  human  sympathy  included  even  my  wretched 
self  in  its  cheering  circle.  All  these  sensations  were 
generated  by  a  few  kind  words  at  the  right  time. 
Yes,  now  I  can  fight, — and  I  did  fight,  six  days  and 
six  nights, — encouraged  and  helped  by  a  few  words 
of  sympathy:  "He  said,  come  in  and  see  me;  I  will. 
He  said  he  would  be  pleased  to  make  my  acquaint- 
ance ;  he  shall.  He  said,  keep  up  a  brave  heart ;  by 


136     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

God's  help,  I  will."  And  so  encouraged,  I  fought  on, 
with  not  one  hour  of  healthy  sleep,  not  one  particle 
of  food  passing  my  lips,  for  six  days  and  nights. 
What  a  lesson  of  love  should  not  this  teach  us !  How 
know  we  but  some  trifling  sacrifice,  some  little  act  of 
kindness,  some,  it  may  be,  unconsidered  word,  may 
heal  a  bruised  heart,  or  cheer  a  drooping  spirit. 
Never  shall  I  forget  the  exquisite  delight  which  I  felt 
when  first  asked  to  call  and  see  Mr.  Goodrich;  and 
how  did  I  love  him  from  my  very  heart,  for  the  pleas- 
ure he  afforded  me  in  the  knowledge  that  some  one 
on  the  broad  face  of  the  earth  cared  for  me, — for  me, 
who  had  given  myself  up  as  a  castaway;  who,  two 
days  before,  had  been  friendless  in  the  widest  signifi- 
cation of  the  word,  and  willing — nay,  wishing — to  die. 
Any  man  who  has  suddenly  broken  off  a  habit,  such 
as  mine  was,  may  imagine  what  my  sufferings  were 
during  the  week  which  followed  ray  abandoning  the 
use  of  alcohol. 

On  the  evening  of  the  day  following  that  on  which 
I  signed  the  pledge,  I  went '  straight  home  from  my 
work-shop,  with  a  dreadful  feeling  of  some  impend- 
ing calamity  haunting  me.  In  spite  of  the  encour- 
agement I  had  received,  the  presentiment  of  coming 
evil  was  so  strong,  that  it  bowed  me  almost  to  the 
dust  with  apprehension.  The  slakeless  thirst  still 
clung  to  me ;  and  water,  instead  of  allaying  it,  seemed 
only  to  increase  its  intensity. 

I  was  fated  to  encounter  one  struggle  more  with 
my  enemy  before  I  became  free.  Fearful  was  that 
struggle.  God  in  his  mercy  forbid  that  any  young 
man  should  endure  but  a  tenth  part  of  the  tor- 
ture which  racked  my  frame,  and  agonized  my 


AUTOBIOGEAPHY   OF   JOHtf   B.  GOUGH.  137 

heart.  As  in  the  former  attack,  horrible  faces  glared 
upon  me  from  the  walls, — faces  ever  changing,  and 
displaying  new  and  still  more  horrible  features; 
black,  bloated  insects  crawled  over  my  face ;  and  myr- 
iads of  burning,  concentric  rings  were  revolving  in- 
cessantly. At  one  moment  the  chamber  appeared  as 
red  as  blood,  and  in  a  twinkling  it  was  dark  as  the 
charnel-house.  I  seemed  to  have  a  knife  with  hun- 
dreds of  blades  in  my  hand,  every  blade  driven 
through  the  flesh,  and  all  so  inextricably  bent  and  tan- 
gled together  that  I  could  not  withdraw  them  for 
some  time ;  and  when  I  did,  from  my  lacerated  fin- 
gers the  bloody  fibers  would  stretch  out  all  quivering 
with  life.  After  a  frightful  paroxysm  of  this  kind,  I 
would  start  like  a  maniac  from  my  bed,  and  beg  for 
life,  life !  What  I  of  late  thought  so  worthless, 
seemed  now  to  be  of  unappreciable  value.  I  dreaded 
to  die,  and  clung  to  existence  with  a  feeling  that  my 
soul's  salvation  depended  on  a  little  more  of  life.  A 
great  portion  of  this  time  I  spent  alone ;  no  mother's 
hand  was  near  to  wipe  the  big  drops  of  perspiration 
from  my  brow ;  no  kind  voice  cheered  me  in  my  soli- 
tude. Alone  I  encountered  all  the  host  of  demoniac 
forms  which  crowded  my  chamber.  No  one  witnessed 
my  agonies,  or  counted  my  woes,  and  yet  I  recovered ; 
how,  still  remains  a  mystery  to  myself;  and  still  more 
mysterious  was  the  fact  of  my  concealing  my  suffer- 
ings from  every  mortal  eye. 

In  about  a  week,  I  gained,  in  a  great  degree,  the 
mastery  over  my  accursed  appetite;  but  the  strife 
had  made  me  dreadfully  weak.  Gradually  my  health 
improved,  my  spirits  recovered,  and  I  ceased  to  de- 
spair. Once  more  was  I  enabled  to  crawl  into  the 


138     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

sunshine;  but,  oh,  how  changed!  Wan  cheeks  and 
hollow  eyes,  feeble  limbs  and  almost  powerless  hands, 
plainly  enough  indicated  that  between  me  and  death 
there  had  indeed  been  but  a  step ;  and  those  who  saw 
me,  might  say  as  was  said  of  Dante,  when  he  passed 
through  the  streets  of  Florence:  "There's  the  man 
that  has  been  in  hell." 


CHAPTER  IX. 

My  Changed  Condition — Weekly  Speeches — My  Old  Overcoat — First 
Speech  in  a  Pulpit — My  New  Suit — First  Remuneration — Invita- 
tions— Extracts  from  Papers — New  Year's  Celebration  at  Barre — 
Permission  to  Leave  Work  for  Two  Weeks — My  Apron  and  the 
Bibles. 

A  GREAT  change  now  took  place  in  my  condition 
for  the  better,  and  it  appeared  likely  enough  that  the 
anticipations  of  my  friend,  Mr.  Stratton,  who  induced 
me  to  sign  the  pledge,  as  to  my  becoming  once  more 
a  respectable  man,  were  about  to  be  realized.  For  a 
long  period  of  late,  I  had  ceased  to  take  any  care 
with  respect  to  my  personal  appearance  (for  the  in- 
temperate man  is  seldom  neat),  but  I  now  began  to 
feel  a  little  more  pride  on  this  head,  and  endeavored 
to  make  my  scanty  wardrobe  appear  to  the  best  ad- 
vantage. I  also  applied  myself  more  diligently  to 
business,  and  became  enabled  to  purchase  a  few  ar- 
ticles which  I  had  long  needed ;  and  so  I  began  to  as- 
sume a  more  respectable  appearance. 

I  now  regularly  attended  the  temperance  meetings, 
held  at  this  time  in  the  town  hall  every  Monday  even- 
ing. On  my  first  attendance,  the  president  of  the 
meeting,  Mr.  Edwin  Eaton,  saw  me  and  said:  "The 
young  man  who  signed  the  temperance  pledge  last 
Monday  night  is  in  the  hall;  we  shall  be  glad  to  know 
how  he  feels  to-night,  and  how  he  is  getting  on." 


140  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHK   B.  GOUGII. 

I  immediately  arose  and  said:  "I  am  getting  on 
very  well,  and  feel  a  good  deal  better  than  I  did  a 
week  ago." 

That  was  my  second  temperance  speech;  the  first 
was  when  I  signed  the  pledge.  At  every  weekly 
meeting  I  was  invited  to  speak,  and  I  began  to  en- 
large on  the  experience  of  the  intemperate.  Some 
persons,  hearing  these  little  speeches  of  mine,  invited 
me  to  visit  the  neighboring  towns  and  deliver  ad- 
dresses ;  but  the  state  of  my  wardrobe,  and  my  desire 
to  work  at  my  trade  till  I  could  procure  the  clothes  I 
needed,  prevented  me.  But  one  afternoon,  not  long 
after  I  joined  the  society,  a  gentleman  invited  me  to 
speak  on  temperance  in  the  school-house  on  Burn- 
coat  Plain.  That  evening  I  shall  never  forget.  I  had 
not  been  able,  through  scarcity  of  funds,  to  procure 
fitting  habiliments  in  which  to  appear  before  a  re- 
spectable audience,  and  so  I  was  compelled  to  wear  an 
old  overcoat,  which  the  state  of  my  under-clothing 
obliged  me  to  button  closely  up  to  my  chin.  The 
place  assigned  to  me  was  very  near  a  large  and  well- 
heated  stove.  As  I  spoke  I  grew  warm,  and  after 
using  a  little  exertion,  the  heat  became  so  insuffer- 
able, that  I  was  drenched  in  perspiration.  My  situa- 
tion was  ludicrous  in  the  extreme.  I  could  not,  in 
consequence  of  the  crowd,  retreat  from  the  tremen- 
dous fire,  and  unbuttoning  my  coat  was  out  of  the 
question  altogether.  What  with  the  warmth  im- 
parted by  my  subject,  and  that  which  proceeded  from 
the  stove,  I  was  fairly  between  two  fires.  When  I 
had  finished  my  speech,  I  was  all  but  "done"  myself, 
for  my  body  contained  a  greater  quantity  of  caloric 
than  it  had  ever  possessed  before.  I  question  whether 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     141 

Monsieur  Chabert,  the  fire-king,  was  ever  subjected 
to  a  more  "fiery  trial." 

Not  long  after  this,  it  began  to  be  whispered  about 
that  I  had  some  talents  for  public  speaking;  and  my 
career  as  an  intemperate  man  having  been  notorious, 
a  little  curiosity  concerning  my  addresses  was  ex- 
cited. I  was  invited  to  visit  Milbury,  and  deliver  an 
address  there.  I  went  in  company  with  Dr.  Hunting 
of  Worcester;  Mr.  Van  Wagner,  known  as  the  Pough- 
keepsie  Blacksmith,  was  also  to  speak.  I  spoke  for 
the  first  time  from  a  pulpit,  and  my  address,  which 
occupied  but  from  fifteen  to  twenty  minutes,  was 
listened  to  very  attentively.  How  queerly  I  felt  in 
that  pulpit,  the  faces  all  turned  toward  me.  The 
strangeness  of  my  position  made  me  very  nervous; 
my  mouth  was  dry,  my  knees  very  weak ;  but  I  got 
on,  for  I  had  a  simple  story  to  tell.  At  this  time 
nothing  was  farther  from  my  intention  than  becom- 
ing a  public  speaker;  in  my  wildest  flights  I  never 
dreamed  of  this.  I  can  sincerely  say,  that  I  was 
urged  to  give  these  early  addresses  solely  by  a  hope 
that  good  through  my  instrumentality  might  be  done 
to  the  temperance  cause,  to  which  I  owed  my  re- 
demption. 

The  Washingtonian  movement,  as  it  was  then 
called,  was  becoming  very  popular,  and  meetings  were 
held  constantly  in  school-houses  and  churches,  halls 
and  vestry-rooms,  all  over  the  country;  meetings  for 
experience,  where  perhaps  three  or  four  would  occupy 
the  time ;  to  many  of  these  meetings  I  was  invited. 

Prior  to  delivering  this  address  at  Milbury,  I  had 
purchased  a  new  suit  of  clothes,  the  first  which  I  had 
been  able  to  get  for  a  long  period.  They  came  home 


142     AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

on  the  day  fixed  for  my  speaking.  Now,  I  had  been 
so  long  accustomed  to  my  old  garments  that  they 
had  become,  as  it  were,  a  part  and  parcel  of  myself, 
and  seemed  to  belong  to  me  and  feel  as  natural  as 
my  skin  did.  My  new  suit  was  very  fashionably  cut, 
and  as  I  put  on  the  articles,  one  by  one,  I  felt  more 
awkwardness  than,  I  verily  believe,  I  ever  exhibited 
on  any  similar  occasion  in  the  course  of  my  life.  The 
pantaloons  were  strapped  down  over  feet  which  had 
long  been  used  to  freedom,  and  I  feared  to  walk  in 
my  usual  manner,  lest  they  should  go  at  the  knee. 
The  vest  certainly  set  off  my  waist  to  the  best  advan- 
tage; but  it  did  not  seem  on  a  first  acquaintance 
half  so  comfortable  as  my  ancient  friend,  although 
the  latter  had  long  been  threadbare  and  minus  a  few 
buttons.  And  then,  the  smartly  cut  coat  was  so 
neatly  and  closely  fitted  to  the  arms  and  the  shoul- 
ders and  the  back,  that  when  it  was  on,  I  felt  in  a  fix 
as  well  as  a  fit.  I  was  fearful  of  anything  but  a  minc- 
ing motion,  and  my  arms  had  a  cataleptic  appearance. 
Every  step  I  took  was  a  matter  of  anxiety,  lest  an 
unlucky  rip  should  derange  my  smartness.  How  I 
tried  the  pockets,  over  and  over  again,  and  stared  at 
myself  in  the  glass.  Verily  I  felt  more  awkward  for 
some  time,  in  my  new  suit,  than  I  did  while  roasting 
before  the  fire  in  my  old  one.  I  spoke  a  second  time 
in  Milbury,  and  afterwards  in  West  Boylston,  where 
I  occupied  the  whole  evening,  and  received  the  first 
remuneration  for  my  work;  a  collection  was  taken 
up,  and  two  dollars  were  handed  me  by  the  commit- 
tee. I  shall  never  forget  my  feelings,  as  I  held  the 
cents  and  four-penny  bits  in  my  hand.  I  returned 
home  very  exultant.  Invitations  now  began  to  pour 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     143 

in  on  me  from  other  quarters,  and  I  had  been  asked 
several  times  to  go  to  the  same  old  school-house  on 
Burncoat  Plain,  where  I  had  before  spoken;  afterward 
to  Upton  and  Sterling,  where  I  spent  some  days, 
kindly  entertained  by  Dr.  Kendall,  and  where  I  stated 
in  my  autobiography  I  occupied  the  whole  evening 
for  the  first  time;  that  was  a  mistake,  as  it  was  at 
West  Boylston. 

The  following  notice  appeared  in  the  "Worcester 
Waterfall"  of  December  31,  1842:— 

J.  B.  GOUGH. 

We  understand  that  this  talented  and  worthy  young  mechanic  is  about 
to  commence  the  business  of  lecturer  on  temperance.  We  wish  him 
success ;  and  we  have  no  doubt  that  he  will  be  eminently  successful  in 
his  labors.  He  possesses,  we  believe,  most  of  the  elements  of  a  popular 
speaker.  He  expresses  his  views  in  plain  and  intelligent  language,  with- 
out effort;  and  what  he  says  comes  warm  from  the  heart.  With  good 
powers  of  mind,  and  a  lively  fancy,  added  to  wit  and  humor,  he  can- 
not fail  to  please  and  amuse  with  his  bright  and  glowing  pictures  of 
things  as  they  exist;  while  he  instructs  the  mind  with  sound  views 
and  principles,  and  warms  up  the  heart  with  kind  and  generous  feel- 
ings and  sentiments. 

$g*  We  learn  that  Mr.  J.  B.  Gough  of  this  place  will  lecture  in  the 
following  places :  Tuesday  evening,  at  Leicester ;  Wednesday  evening, 
at  Upton  ;  and  on  Thursday  evening  of  next  week,  at  Grafton. 

Mr.  Gough  is  authorized  to  receive  subscriptions,  and  give  receipts, 
for  the  "  Waterfall,"  and  we  hope  that  the  friends  of  temperance  will 
improve  this  opportunity. 

Ginery  Twichell,  Esq.,  was  desirous  that  I  should 
go  with  him  to  Barre,  where  a  New  Year's  Day  Cele- 
bration, or  Temperance  Jubilee,  consisting  of  singing 
and  addresses,  was  to  be  held.  I  attended  this  anni- 
versary with  him,  and  formed  a  friendship  which  has 
lasted  till  now,  through  good  and  evil,  storm  and  shine. 
I  returned  to  Worcester,  and,  finding  that  my  applica- 


144     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

tions  for  lectures  were  increasing  fast,  I  applied  to  my 
employers  for  leave  of  absence  for  a  week  or  two.  I 
did  not  wish  to  give  up  a  certainty  for  an  uncertainty, 
and  was  very  anxious  to  retain  my  situation  in  the 
bindery;  but  was  also  desirous  of  speaking  for  tem- 
perance, and  visited  Grafton,  Webster,  Milbury,  Ber- 
lin, Bolton,  and  other  places  in  Worcester  County, 
the  names  of  which  it  is  not  necessary  to  record.  As 
my  audiences  gradually  increased,  I  acquired  more 
confidence  in  speaking ;  I  asked  permission  to  leave 
my  work  for  two  weeks,  on  condition  that  I  might  re-' 
turn  to  the  bindery  at  the  expiration  of  that  period. 
I  was  binding  polyglot  Bibles  at  the  time,  and  had 
fiftv  of  them  cut  on  the  ends,  ready  for  turning  up ; 
I  was  told  I  might  go,  so  I  carefully  wrapped  my 
apron  around  the  Bibles,  and  left  them  on  the  bench, 
went  away,  and  never  saw  books  or  apron  afterwards. 
I  spoke  in  Northboro  in  company  with  N.  P.  Banks, 
who  occupied  nearly  an  hour,  when  I  followed  him. 
He  was  then  living  in  Waltham;  he  soon  became 
interested  in  politics,  and  his  career  is  well  known 
to  the  American  people,  as  Governor  of  Massachu- 
setts, Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and 
General. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Violation  of  the  Pledge — Reformed  Drunkard's  Prayer — Constant 
Work — 111  Health — Boston — Old  Companions — Bitter  Reflections — 
Return  to  Worcester — Re-signing  the  Pledge — Extracts  from  Jour- 
nals— Kindness  of  Friends — Drunkenness  a  Disease — Moderate 
Drinking — Constitution  and  Temperament — Instance  of  a  Printer 
— A  Lawyer — Another — Reasons  for  Giving  Them — Picture  of 
Blindfold  Child. 

I  MUST  now  refer  to  a  circumstance  which  occurred 
about  five  months  after  I  signed  the  pledge,  and 
which  caused  infinite  pain  to  myself,  and  uneasiness 
to  the  friends  of  the  cause.  I  allude  to  a  fact,  noto- 
rious at  the  time, — my  violation  of  the  pledge.  This 
narrative  purports  to  be  a  veritable  record  of  my 
history,  and  God  forbid  that  I  should  conceal  or  mis- 
state any  material  circumstance  connected  with  it.  If 
the  former  portion  of  this  autobiography  be  calcu- 
lated to  operate  as  a  warning  against  the  use  of  alco- 
holic liquors,  the  event  which  I  am  now  about  to 
record,  may  not  be  without  its  use,  in  convincing 
many  who  have  flung  away  the  maddening  draught, 
they  need  a  strength,  not  their  own,  to  enable  them 
to  adhere  to  the  vows  they  make.  Well  and  wisely 
has  it  been  said,  by  the  inspired  penman,  "Let  him 
that  thinketh  he  standeth  take  heed  lest  he  fall;"  for 
unassisted  human  strength  is  utterly  unable  to  afford 
adequate  support  in  the  hour  of  weakness  or  tempta- 
tion. We  are  only  so  far  safe,  when  we  depend  on  a 


146     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

mightier  arm  than  our  own  for  support;  our  very 
strength  lies  in  our  sense  of  weakness ;  and  this  was 
to  be  demonstrated  in  my  experience. 

I  had  known  all  the  misery  which  intoxication  pro- 
duces, and,  remembering  it,  could  fervently  offer  up 
a  prayer  such  as  the  following,  which,  although  first 
breathed  by  other  lips  than  mine,  aptly  expressed 
my  feelings: — 

"Almighty  God,  if  it  be  thy  will  that  man  should  suffer,  whatever 
seemeth  good  in  thy  sight  impose  upon  me.  Let  the  bread  of  affliction 
be  given  me  to  eat.  Take  from  me  the  friends  of  my  confidence.  Let 
the  cold  hut  of  poverty  be  my  dwelling-place,  and  the  wasting  hand  of 
disease  inflict  its  painful  torments.  Let  me  sow  in  the  whirlwind,  and 
reap  in  the  storm.  Let  those  have  me  in  derision  who  are  younger  than 
I.  Let  the  passing  away  of  my  welfare  be  like  the  fleeting  of  a  cloud, 
and  the  shouts  of  my  enemies  like  the  rushing  of  waters.  When  I  an- 
ticipate good,  let  evil  annoy  me.  When  I  look  for  light,  let  darkness 
come  upon  me.  Let  the  terrors  of  death  be  ever  before  me.  Do  all  this, 
but  save  me,  merciful  God,  save  me  from  the  fate  of  a  drunkard.  Amen." 

I  loved  the  temperance  pledge.  No  one  could  value 
it  more  than  I;  for,  standing  as  I  did,  a  redeemed 
man,  enabled  to  hold  up  my  head  in  society,  I  owed 
everything  to  it.  Painful  as  I  said  this  event  of  my 
life  was  in  the  act,  and  humiliating  in  the  contempla- 
tion, I  proceed  to  state  every  particular  respecting  it. 

I  was  at  this  time  delivering  addresses  in  the  towns 
of  Charlton  and  Dudley,  Worcester  County.  Laboring 
so  indefatigably,  and  indeed,  unceasingly,  almost  im- 
mediately after  suddenly  breaking  off  the  use  of  a 
stimulus  to  which  I  had  been  accustomed  for  years,  I 
became  very  weak  in  health ;  and,  being  of  an  ex- 
tremely nervous  temperament,  I  suffered  much  more 
than  I  otherwise  should  have  done.  I  had  an  almost 
constant  distress  in  my  stomach,  and  gradually  be- 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     147 

came  so  excited  and  nervously  irritable,  that  I  en- 
tirely lost  my  appetite,  and  could  neither  eat  nor 
sleep.  The  physician  at  Dudley  gave  me  tincture  of 
Tolu,  in  which  was  ether,  which  affected  me  very 
strangely.  The  engagements  that  I  had  made  at 
Charlton  came  to  a  termination  on  Fast  Day,  and  in 
order  to  prepare  for  an  address  the  next  evening,  at 
Sutton  (that  town  being  the  next  on  my  list  of  ap- 
pointments, numbering  now  more  than  thirty  in  suc- 
cession), I  returned  to  Worcester.  While  there,  and 
on  my  way  there  from  Charlton,  I  felt  sensations  to 
which  I  had  before  been  a  stranger.  It  was  a  most 
distressing  feeling,  but  one  impossible  to  define. 

It  will  be  remembered  that,  in  a  former  page,  I 
have  given  an  account  of  an  accident  which  I  received 
when  a  boy,  my  head  having  been  wounded  by  a 
spade.  In  the  neighborhood  of  this  old  injury,  I  ex- 
perienced considerable  pain,  and  could  not  refrain 
from  continually  pressing  my  hands  on  the  top  of  my 
head,  to  relieve  the  intense  throbbing.  A  restlessness, 
too,  accompanied  these  symptoms,  for  which  I  could 
not  account,  and  which  I  could  not  by  any  effort  sub- 
due. It  was  noticed,  with  some  uneasiness  by  my 
friends,  that  I  acted  and  talked  very  strangely ;  but 
I  was  not  at  all  conscious  that  in  my  appearance 
there  was  anything  to  excite  or  attract  more  than 
ordinary  attention. 

I  boarded  with  Mrs.  Chamberlain,  as  good,  kind, 
and  considerate  a  woman  as  I  ever  knew.  She  ob- 
served my  illness,  and  strongly  urged  me  to  remain 
at  home  and  go  to  bed.  But  I  was  in  so  nervous  a 
state,  that  to  remain  still  for  five  minutes  together, 
was  a  thing  utterly  impossible.  I  could  neither  sit 


148     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

in  one  position  long,  or  remain  standing;  and  this 
restless  feeling  was  far  more  distressing  to  myself, 
than  can  be  imagined  by  those  who  have  not  suffered 
in  a  similar  way.  It  appeared  to  me  that  I  must  be 
going  somewhere,  I  knew  not  and  cared  not  whither ; 
but  there  was  a  certain  impulsive  feeling  which  I 
could  not  restrain,  any  more  than  an  automaton  can 
remain  motionless  when  its  machinery  is  wound  up. 
I  left  Mrs.  Chamberlain's  house,  much  against  her 
wish,  saying  I  should  return  shortly,  and  intending 
to  do  so ;  but  when  I  had  wandered  about  for  a  little 
time,  I  heard  the  fifteen  minute  bell  at  the  depot 
announce  that  the  train  was  about  to  start  for  Boston, 
and,  almost  without  thinking  what  I  was  about  to  do, 
I  proceeded  to  the  station,  entered  the  cars,  and,  with 
no  earthly  aim  or  object,  set  out  for  Boston ;  all  I  felt 
was  an  irresistible  inclination  to  move  on,  I  cared  not 
where.  Several  gentlemen  in  whose  company  I  fell, 
noticed  the  extreme  strangeness  of  my  deportment 
and  conversation,  while  in  the  cars. 

On  arriving  at  Boston,  I  strolled  for  some  time 
about  the  streets,  uncertain  how  to  employ  or  amuse 
myself.  Evening  drew  on,  and  it  occurred  to  me 
that  I  might  dissipate  my  melancholy  and  quiet  my- 
self down,  by  going  to  the  theater ;  I  resolved  to  pur- 
sue this  course,  and  accordingly  entered  the  play- 
house. I  had  not  been  there  long  before  I  fell  in 
with  some  old  companions,  with  whom  I  had  been  in- 
timate many  years  before.  "We  talked  together  of 
old  times;  and  at  last,  observing  my  manner,  and 
noticing  that  I  talked  strangely  and  incoherently,  they 
inquired  what  ailed  me.  I  told  them  that  I  felt  as  if 
I  wanted  to  move  on,  that  move  on  I  must,  but  cared 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF  JOHN   B.  GOUGH.  149 

not  whither, — in  fact,  that  I  was  very  ill.  After  being 
pressed  to  accompany  them  and  take  some  oysters,  1 
consented,  and  we  all  repaired  to  an  oyster  room.  It 
was  during  the  time  of  taking  this  refreshment,  that 
a  glass  of  wine  or  brandy  was  offered  me.  Without 
thought,  I  drank  it  off!  And  then,  suddenly,  the  ter- 
rible thought  flashed  across  my  mind,  that  I  had 
violated  my  pledge.  The  horror  I  felt  at  the  moment, 
it  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  describe.  Ruin,  in- 
evitable ruin,  stared  me  in  the  face.  Bv  one  rash  and 

9  t/ 

inconsiderate  act,  I  had  undone  the  work  of  months, 
betrayed  the  confidence  reposed  in  me  by  friends, 
and  blasted  every  hope  for  the  future.  To  say  that  I 
felt  miserable,  would  only  give  a  faint  idea  of  my 
state.  For  five  months  I  had  battled  with  my  enemy, 
and  defied  him  when  he  appeared  armed  with  all  his 
terrors;  but  now,  when  I  fondly  fancied  him  a  con- 
quered foe,  and  had  sung  in  the  broad  face  of  day  my 
paeans  of  victory  to  hundreds  and  thousands  of  list- 
eners, he  had  craftily  wrought  my  downfall.  I  was 
like  some  bark, 

"  Which  stood  the  storm  when  winds  were  rough, 
But  in  a  sunny  hour,  fell  off; 
Like  ships  that  have  gone  down  at  sea 
When  heaven  was  all  tranquility." 

My  accursed  appetite,  too,  which  I  deemed  eradi- 
cated, I  found  had  only  slept;  the  single  glass  I  had 
taken,  roused  my  powerful  and  now  successful  enemy. 
I  argued  with  myself  that  as  I  had  made  one  false 
step,  matters  could  not  be  made  worse  by  taking  an- 
other. So,  yielding  to  temptation,  I  swallowed  three 
or  four  more  potations,  and  slept  that  night  at  the 
hotel. 

10 


4 

150     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

With  the  morning,  reflection  came;  and  fearful, 
indeed,  appeared  to  me  my  situation.  Without  drink- 
ing again,  I  started  in  the  cars  for  Newburyport,  pain- 
fully feeling  but  not  exhibiting  any  signs  of  having 
indulged  in  the  intemperate  cup  on  the  previous 
evening. 

At  Newburyport  an  unlooked-for  trial  awaited  me, 
— I  was  invited  to  speak  for  the  temperance  society 
there.  I  felt  that  I  had  no  claim  now  to  be  heard, 
although  I  bitterly  repented  my  retrograde  move- 
ment ;  but  at  length  I  consented  to  speak,  and  did  so, 
both  on  the  Sunday  and  the  following  Monday.  To 
Worcester  I  dreaded  returning,  so  agonized  was  I  in 
rnind.  It  was  there  I  came  forward  as  a  redeemed 
drunkard ;  had  there  often  solemnly  vowed  that  the  in- 
toxicating cup  should  never  press  my  lips  again  ;  had 
there  been  received  by  the  kind  and  the  good  with 
open  arms,  and  encouraged  to  proceed.  But,  alas ! 
how  had  I  fallen !  and  with  what  countenance  could 
I  meet  those  to  whose  respect  and  sympathy  I  felt  I 
had  now  no  longer  claim?  I  returned,  in  consequence 
of  entertaining  such  sentiments  as  these,  to  Boston, 
there  intending  to  remain  until  I  should  decide  as  to 
what  my  future  course  should  be.  I  became  faint, 
hungry,  and  sick;  and  my  heart  remained  "ill  at  ease." 
Again  I  drank,  although  not  to  excess,  and  at  length 
resolved,  at  all  hazards,  to  return  to  Worcester ;  which 
place  I  reached  on  Saturday,  where,  as  might  be  ex- 
pected from  my  conduct  previous  to  leaving,  my 
friends  were  very  much  alarmed  at  my  absence. 

On  my  arrival  home,  I  immediately  sent  for  my 
friend,  Mr.  Jesse  W.  Goodrich  ;  the  same  gentleman,  it 
will  be  remembered,  who  kindly  invited  me  to  call  on 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     151 

him  the  day  after  I  signed  the  pledge.  I  also  sent 
for  Dr.  Hunting,  who  had  greatly  interested  himself 
in  my  welfare.  When  these  gentlemen  came  to  see 
me,  I  at  once  made  them  acquainted  with  what  had 
transpired  in  Boston,  and  my  violation  of  the  pledge; 
and  then  expressed  to  them  my  determination  to 
leave  the  town,  county,  and  state,  never  more  to  re- 
turn to  it.  I  then  re-signed  the  pledge,  and  com- 
menced packing  up  my  books  and  clothes,  with  the 
full  intention  of  leaving  Worcester  the  following 
Monday.  I  took  my  little  account-book  containing 
the  list  of  my  appointments,  with  letters,  and,  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  scraps  of  newspapers,  burned 
all  that  was  connected  with  my  public  work,  fully  de- 
termined to  speak  no  more. 

My  friends,  who  did  not  desert  me,  even  in  these 
dark  hours  of  my  existence,  again  rallied  round  me, 
and  persuaded  me  to  remain,  in  order  to  attend  the 
temperance  meeting  on  the  Monday  I  had  fixed  as 
the  day  of  my  departure.  My  candid  statement  had, 
in  a  measure,  revived  their  confidence  in  me.  In  ac- 
cordance with  their  desire,  I  did  remain,  and  went,  at 
the  time  mentioned,  to  the  upper  town  hall,  where  a 
very  large  audience  was  assembled,  and  appeared  to 
feel  a  great  interest  in  the  proceedings.  I  was  almost 
broken-hearted,  and  felt  as  if  I  were  insane;  but  I 
humbly  trust  that  I  sincerely  repented  of  the  false 
step  I  had  taken,  and,  cheered  by  the  considerate 
kindness  of  my  friends,  I  determined,  God  helping 
me,  to  be  more  than  ever  an  uncompromising  foe  to 
alcohol. 

As  this  portion  of  my  history  is  of  some  impor- 
tance, I  shall,  instead  of  entering  into  any  detailed 


152     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

description  of  the  meeting  I  have  just  spoken  of,  my- 
self, quote  in  this  place  the  report  of  the  proceedings 
which  appeared  at  the  time  in  the  public  journals. 

The  following  article  appeared  in  the  "Cataract 
and  Washingtonian": — 

Mr.  John  B.  Gough,  as  soon  as  he  was  known  to  be  in  the  hall, 
was  called  for  in  all  directions,  and  received  in  a  manner  which  showed 
the  true  spirit  of  Washingtonian  sympathy,  kindness,  and  charity  to  be 
still  predominant  in  the  bosom  of  this  great  Washingtonian  fraternity. 
Feeble  in  health,  and  with  an  utterance  half  choked  by  the  intensity  of 
his  feelings,  he  briefly  alluded  to,  and  promptly  acknowledged,  his  late 
misfortune,  saying  that  he  had,  within  a  few  days  past,  deemed  himself 
a  crushed  and  ruined  man ;  but  that  the  enemies  of  the  great  cause  he 
had  attempted  to  advocate  need  not  rejoice, — that  he  had  rallied,  had 
re-signed  the  pledge,  and  then  felt,  and  should  prove  himself,  a  more 
uncompromising  foe  to  alcohol  than  he  had  ever  been  before  ;  and,  after 
invoking,  in  tones  that  came  from,  and  went  to,  the  heart,  the  blessing 
of  heaven  upon  his  friends,  the  society,  and  the  cause,  attended  by  his 
physician  and  some  friends,  he  retired  from  the  hall,  subdued  even  to 
tears  by  the  trying  ordeal  through  which  he  had  been  passing. 

The  following  is  extracted  from  a  more  extended 
report  in  the  same  journal: — 

The  Washingtonian  Society  of  Westborough  met  at  the  town  hall  on 
Thursday  evening,  April  20,  1843.  The  hall  was  full  to  overflowing. 
The  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  the  President  of  the  Society,  and 
opened  with  prayer  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harvey ;  after  which  the  President 
introduced  Mr.  J.  B.  Gough,  the  well-known,  eloquent,  and  successful 
advocate  of  temperance  ;  who,  in  a  very  feeling  and  appropriate  manner, 
stated  that,  within  a  short  time  he  had  broken  his  pledge,  but  he  had 
signed  it  again,  again  risen  up  to  combat  King  Alcohol,  and  that  he  ap- 
peared before  them  the  uncompromising  foe  to  alcohol  in  all  its  forms, 
willing  to  devote  all  the  energies  of  his  body  and  mind  to  the  noble  cause 
of  temperance  ;  and,  with  all  humility,  threw  himself  upon  the  kindness 
of  his  friends,  stating  it  was  for  them  to  say  whether  or  not  he  should 
proceed,  and  have  their  kindness  and  support ;  when  the  following  resolu- 
tions were  offered,  and  unanimously  adopted,  almost  by  acclamation  : — 

Resolved,  That  as  intemperance  is  the  cause  of  most  of  the  misery 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     153 

and  suffering  that  affect  our  fellow-men,  drying  up  and  poisoning  the 
streams  of  domestic  happiness,  it  is,  therefore,  our  imperative  duty  to 
exert  our  united  efforts  against  the  monster,  and  stand  shoulder  to 
shoulder  until  the  evil  is  banished  from  the  land. 

Resolved,  That  we  highly  appreciate  the  former  services  of  Mr. 
J.  B.  Gough  as  a  Washingtonian  lecturer ;  and,  notwithstanding  the 
unhappy  circumstances  which  have  lately  occurred,  we  do  most  cordially 
greet  him  in  the  Washingtonian  spirit  of  kindness  and  sympathy,  and 
most  cheerfully  do  we  give  him  our  countenance  and  support  in  the 
glorious  cause  of  temperance. 

Mr.  Gough  again  rose,  evidently  much  embarrassed,  and  was 
received  by  the  audience  with  decided  marks  of  approbation.  He 
stated,  that  to  be  thus  received  was  more  than  he  felt  able  to  bear. 
Scorn  and  contumely  he  should  be  enabled  to  endure ;  but  to  kindness 
he  had  not  always  been  accustomed,  and  he  was  completely  unmanned. 
Recovering  his  self-possession,  he  went  on,  and  most  eloquently  warned 
all,  particularly  the  young  men  who  had  become  Washingtonians,  to 
abandon  their  old  associates,  and  not  place  themselves  in  the  way  of 
temptation.  He  portrayed,  in  most  glowing  colors,  the  criminality  of 
those  who  endeavor,  whatever  may  be  their  motive,  to  induce  any  one  to 
violate  his  pledge,  leaving  them  to  their  own  consciences  and  their  God. 

After  holding  the  undivided  attention  of  his  audience  for  near  an 
hour,  he  concluded  with  a  most  powerful  appeal  to  all  to  come  out  and 
sign  the  pledge ;  hoping  that  no  one  would  offer,  as  an  excuse,  that  the 
speaker  had  violated  his ;  but  come  out,  and,  each  and  all,  give  their 
support  to  a  cause  which  is  worthy  of  the  best  effort  of  our  powers. 

Similar  resolutions  were  passed  at  Sutton. 

Never  shall  I  forget  the  kindness  shown  me  at  this 
time  by  my  friends.  It  would  be  impossible  for  me 
to  enumerate  here  all  from  whom  I  received  the  most 
considerate  attentions, — but  they  are  not  forgotten  by 
me,  and  never  will  be. 

Although  freely  and  fully  forgiven  by  that  society, 
I  still  felt  keenly  on  the  subject  of  my  lapse ;  but  my 
intention  of  leaving  the  town  was  not  carried  into 
effect;  as  my  friends  one  and  all  urging  me  to  re- 
main, I  felt  it  my  duty  to  accede  to  their  wishes.  I 


15'4  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF  JOHN   B.  GOUGH. 

was  waited  upon  in  Worcester  by  Mr.  Ellsworth 
Childs  of  Westborough,  witb  a  request  from  the  good 
friends  of  that  place  that  I  should  visit  them ;  and  I 
felt  it  to  be  a  duty  to  go  to  the  different  towns  where 
I  had  made  engagements,  and  to  which  I  had  been 
re-invited,  fully  and  frankly  to  confess  the  circum- 
stances which  led  me  to  break  my  appointments,  and 
solicit  their  forgiveness, — which  was  willingly  ac- 
corded in  every  case. 

I  trust  that  I  now  had  a  full  sense  of  my  own  in- 
sufficiency to  keep  myself  from  sinking.  Hitherto  I 
had  relied  too  implicitly  on  my  own  strength  for  sup- 
port, and  my  utter  weakness  had  been  painfully  ex- 
emplified in  my  violation  of  a  sacred  promise.  It  was 
a  humiliating  blow,  but  it  taught  me  that  I  derived 
my  strength  from  on  high,  and  that  when  He  with- 
drew it,  I  was  utterly  powerless  to  think  of  myself 
any  good  thing.  Whatever  my  future  situation  in 
life  may  be,  I  hope  ever  to  possess  a  strong  sense  of 
my  utter  weakness,  and  cherish  a  humble  dependence 
on  Him  who  is  able  to  keep  me  from  falling,  and  ren- 
der my  labors  honorable  und  useful. 

This  account  of  my  violation  of  the  pledge  will,  I 
doubt  not,  be  entirely  new  to  many  of  my  readers, 
although  in  my  own  neighborhood  the  fact  was  noto- 
rious enough  at  the  time. 

It  is  my  earnest  wish  to  send  forth  this  narrative 
to  the  world  in  as  complete  and  perfect  a  manner  as 
practicable;  omitting  nothing,  nor  adding  to  anything, 
so  that  it  may  be  as  faithful  a  record  of  my  life  as  can 
be  presented.  I  have  not  shrunk  from  depicting  the 
dark  days  of  my  life,  because  I  wish  to  warn  my  fel- 
low-men against  the  wine  cup,  and  to  strip  the  false 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     155 

and  fading  flowers  from  the  manacles  which  amuse 
the'inebriate  while  they  cripple  his  energies;  and  in 
referring,  as  I  shall  have  occasion  to  do  in  the  re- 
maining pages,  to  the  time  since  the  dark  pall  was 
lifted, — I  trust,  forever, — and  hope's  brilliant  star  shed 
on  me  its  luster,  I  believe  I  shall  not  be  deemed  egotis- 
tical. Than  this,  nothing  can  be  more  foreign  to  my 
views  and  sentiments.  My  readers  must  take  the 
picture  as  it  is,  remembering  that  I  have  not  adopted 
the  style  of  any  academy  or  school,  but  endeavored 
to  present  to  the  mind's  eye  a  graphic  delineation  of 
what  may  be  often  met  with  in  our  daily  paths, — a 
painting  of  human  nature  from  the  life. 

I  desire  to  offer  no  apology, — neither  to  excuse  or 
palliate  the  fault  of  violating  my  pledge  at  that  time; 
but  would  say  a  word  or  two  in  behalf  of  those  who 
unfortunately  fail  in  their  promise  to  abstain.  Drunk- 
enness is  a  mysterious  disease,  and  the  power  of  appe- 
tite on  a  nervous,  susceptible  organization  is  almost  ab- 
solute, and  there  is  no  remedy  but  total  abstinence, — 
total  and  entire.  You  cannot  make  a  moderate  drinker 
of  a  drunkard.  If  he  takes  one  glass,  it  is  like  fire  to 
powder ;  the  appetite  may  lie  dormant  for  years,  but 
it  is  there,  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  like  the  smoulder- 
ing fires  of  a  volcano,  to  be  roused  by  one  dram  into 
fury, — to  drench  body  and  soul  in  the  burning  lava  of 
drunkenness. 

Many  say :  "I  have  no  patience  with  a  man  who 
cannot  drink  in  moderation  ;  why  cannot  a  man  drink 
one  glass,  and  then  stop  ?  surely  he  can  if  he  will,  and 
if  he  will  not,  then  I  condemn  him  without  sympa- 
thy." Before  you  judge,  you  should  know  all  the 
circumstances,  or  it  is  unjust  judgment.  You  can 


156     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

drink  moderately ;  he  cannot, — and  you  despise  him. 
Men  are  differently  constituted.  Many  men,  many 
temperaments.  Let  me  give  a  personal  illustration : 
I  never  could  endure  the  sight  of  blood,  or  even  to 
hear  of  it.  On  one  occasion,  in  Mount  Vernon  Church, 
Dr.  Kirk  preached  from  the  text,  "For  the  life  is  in 
the  blood;"  and  as  he  described  the  elements  of  blood, 
I  became  so  faint  and  sick  that  it  was  with  great  dif- 
ficulty I  could  remain  in  my  seat.  On  another  oc- 
casion, in  Glasgow,  I  went  to  hear  a  physiologist 
discourse  of  the  effects  of  alcohol  on  the  human  sys- 
tem, with  diagrams.  When  I  took  my  seat,  and  faced 
what  looked  to  me  more  like  a  butcher's  shop  than 
anything  human,  I  felt  faint  and  sick,  and  before  the 
lecture  had  proceeded  far,  was  obliged  to  leave  the 
hall.  (This  circumstance  was  sometime  after  adduced 
as  evidence  that  I  was  drunk.) 

Now  other  persons  are  not  thus  affected.  Some 
men  actually  enjoy  taking  ether,  or  laughing-gas.  I 
think  I  would  endure  almost  any  agony,  rather  than 
inhale  ether.  I  once  took  it  under  the  direction  of 
Dr.  Morton  of  Boston ;  the  sensation  to  me  was  as  if 
my  soul  was  being  forcibly  driven  out  of  my  body,  and 
was  clinging  and  struggling  to  retain  possession;  the 
experience  was  awful,  and  I  did  not  recover  in  four 
weeks  from  the  effect  of  the  administration  of  ether. 
So  with  drink,  on  some  temperaments ;  one  glass  will 
mount  to  the  brain  instantly,  weakening  the  power  of 
will,  affecting  the  self-control,  stimulating  the  percep- 
tion, while  it  destroys  its  accuracy,  and  the  man  is  not 
the  same.  That  one  glass  has  caused  partial  insanity ; 
and  his  judgment  being  perverted, — slightly,  it  may 
be,  but  sensibly, — in  a  degree,  he  is  not  so  able  to  re- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     157 

sist  the  temptation,  and  the  appetite  being  roused, 
takes  hold  of  him  and  drags  him  down  in  its  fearful  em- 
brace. The  only  safety  for  such  a  man  is  total  absti- 
nence ;  and  to  a  man  who  has  been  a  victim,  bound  by 
the  cords  of  this  fierce  desire,  it  will  be  a  life-struggle, 
when  at  times  the  old  appetite  comes  over  him  like  a 
wave.  Let  him  do  anything  but  drink,  let  him  run, — 
it  is  not  cowardly  to  run. 

I  knew  a  man  who  was  strongly  tempted,  and  es- 
caped. He  was  a  printer,  and,  working  near  a  win- 
dow opposite  which  was  the  "Shades,"  he  saw  per- 
sons coming  out,  wiping  their  lips,  having  taken  their 
"eleven  o'clock."  He  began  to  want  it,  and  grew 
nervous ;  the  desire  increased  ;  every  fiber  of  his  sys- 
tem seemed  to  cry  out  for  it,  when  he  dropped  his 
form  of  type ;  and,  in  his  vexation  at  the  accident, 
took  off  his  apron,  put  on  his  coat,  with  the  intention 
of  getting  a  drink ;  when,  as  he  said,  he  thought  of 
wife  and  children,  of  former  ruin  and  disgrace,  and 
present  prosperity  and  reputation,  and  rushed  out 
and  ran  hatless  through  the  streets  till  he  reached 
home  : — 

"  Wife,  shut  me  up !  for  mercy's  sake,  shut  me  up,  and 
don't  let  me  out;  ask  no  questions,  but  shut  me  up!" 

She  was  a  wise  wife,  and  locked  him  in  a  room,  and 
there  he  remained  for  thirty  hours,  before  he  dare 
venture  out  to  his  work  again. 

A  lawyer  who  had  been  intemperate  told  me :  "  I 
have  been  obliged  to  forego  all  light  literature.  I 
can  hardly  read  a  newspaper." 

"Why?" 

"  I  have  not  tasted  drink  for  two  years,  but  if  I  only 
read  of  drinking,  I  want  it.  I  have  paced  my  office 


158     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGE. 

with  hands  clenched,  and  the  sweat  standing  in  beads 
on  my  forehead,  as  I  battled  the  horrible  desire  to  get 
drink,  when  I  have  read  of  a  man  drinking  a  glass  of 
wine." 

Another  gentleman  told  me  that  he  had  not  drank 
for  twenty-eight  years, but  said  he:  "I  have  some  fifty 
men  working  for  me,  and  when  I  take  the  breath  of  a 
man  who  has  been  drinking,!  want  it, — yes,  sometimes 
want  it,  so  that  I  have  ridden  ten  miles  horseback  to 
rid  myself  of  the  desire  that  seemed  to  cry  through 
my  whole  system,  give!  give!  when  I  have  taken  the 
breath  of  a  man  who  has  been  drinking." 

I  could  give  many  cases  of  this  character,  well  au- 
thenticated, but  forbear.  My  object  is  not  to  excuse 
my  own  violation  of  the  pledge,  but  to  excite  sym- 
pathy for  the  unfortunate,  and  a  spirit  of  patience  for 
those  that  you  may  think  are  wilfully  and  recklessly 
going  astray;  and  to  enforce  the  truth  that  there  is 
no  absolute  safety  for  any  man  but  in  total  abstinence, 
and  also  to  encourage  the  tempted  and  tried  to  seek 
for  strength  from  him  who  is  "  a  refuge,  a  very  pres- 
ent help  in  time  of  trouble." 

I  remember  reading  of  a  picture  in  which  a  beauti- 
ful child  was  represented  blindfold,  walking  on  the 
edge  of  a  fearful  precipice,  so  sweetly  and  calmly 
confident,  that  you  wondered,  till  in  looking  more 
closely,  you  saw  a  guardian  angel,  dimly  defined,  the 
wings  lost  in  the  mists  above,  that,  with  two  slender 
taper  fingers,  one  on  each  of  the  child's  shoulders, 
was  gently  and  safely  guiding  it  on  its  path. 

So,  oh,  my  Father,  may  thy  loving  hand  support 
me,  and  my  prayer  be  ever :  "  Hold  thou  me  up  and 
I  shall  be  safe." 


CHAPTER  XL 

Lectures  Continued — Written  Record — Number  of  Speeches — Remu- 
neration— Miles  Traveled — Signatures  Obtained — Incidents — Visit 
to  a  Drunkard — Laughable  Experience — Deacon  Moses  Grant  at 
Hopkinton — Engagements  for  Boston — Adventure  with  an  Officer 
of  Justice — First  Speech  in  Boston — Other  Speeches — My  Marriage 
— Meeting  with  Deacon  Grant — Trip  to  New  York,  Philadelphia, 
Baltimore,  and  Washington — Return  to  Philadelphia — Return  to 
Boston. 

IT  is  not  my  intention  to  give  a  diary  of  my  work 
from  this  time,  or  even  to  attempt  a  connected  detail 
of  the  places  I  have  visited,  or  dates,  from  1843.  That 
would  be  tedious  and  unprofitable.  I  wish  to  note 
some  of  the  incidents  connected  with  my  work,  and 
shall  take  them,  as  nearly  as  possible,  in  the  order  of 
time  in  which  they  occurred.  The  sphere  of  my  op- 
erations soon  became  extended,  and  I  delivered  lec- 
tures in  Worcester,  Suffolk,  and  Norfolk  counties,  and 
in  the  border  towns  of  Vermont,  New  Hampshire, 
and  in  the  city  of  Providence.  I  have  kept,  from 
May  14. 1843,  to  the  present  date,  a  correct  record  of 
every  place  I  have  visited  for  work ;  the  number  of 
miles  I  have  traveled;  the  number  of  names  obtained 
to  the  pledge  at  my  meetings ;  the  families  or  hotels 
where  I  was  entertained;  the  sums  received  for  ser- 
vice, and  the  expense  incurred, — that  is  all.  And  I 
much  regret  that  I  have  kept  no  regular  journal  of 
incidents  or  facts,  as  I  must  rely  somewhat  on  mem- 
ory; but  principally  on  letters,  newspaper  articles, 


160     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  'OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

and  my  record  book, — in  which  I  have  written  down 
from  time  to  time  the  main  features  of  facts  which 
I  deemed  valuable,  with  dates  and  names;  and  I 
shall  reject  those  that  are  at  all  apocryphal,  and  give 
only  those  where  the  date  is  kept  and  the  evidence 
reliable. 

My  personal  experiences  I  give  on  my  own  verac- 
ity, avoiding  the  use  of  names  and  places,  as  I  deem 
it  judicious. 

For  the  first  year  or  two  of  my  work,  I  labored 
hard.  In  three  hundred  and ,  sixty-five  days  I  gave 
three  hundred  and  eighty-three  addresses,  and  re-  * 
ceived  from  them  one  thousand  and  fifty-nine  dollars, 
— out  of  which  I  paid  all  expenses ;  traveled  six  thou- 
sand eight  hundred  and  forty  miles;  and  obtained 
fifteen  thousand  two  hundred  and  eighteen  signatures 
to  the  pledge.  It  was  my  custom  to  speak  an  hour 
or  more,  then  invite  signatures,  sing  songs,  and  give 
short  exhortations,  relating  anecdotes,  etc.  I  received 
from  seventy-five  cents  to  six  dollars  for  a  lecture, — the 
latter  sum  being  paid  me  in  the  city  of  Boston, — and 
eighty-three  addresses  were  given  gratuitously  in  that 
time.  Probably  the  remuneration  was  all  they  were 
worth;  but  I  sometimes  found  it  hard  to  keep  up 
with  my  necessary  expenditure.  I  remember,  at  one 
place  I  had  spoken  on  three  evenings,  when  the  com- 
mittee told  me  they  had  no  funds  in  the  treasury,  and 
did  not  like  to  take  up  a  collection ;  but  if  I  would  come 
again,  and  give  them  three  more  lectures,  they  would 
pay  me.  I  made  the  arrangement,  and  some  time 
afterward  went  again.  At  the  close  of  the  second 
lecture  a  gentleman  rose  and  said:  "I  believe  the 
gentleman  who  has  addressed  us  left  this  town  on 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    Otf    JOHN    B.  GOUGH.  161 

the  occasion  of  his  last  visit  with  no  remuneration 
for  his  services.  I  propose  that  a  collection  be  now 
taken  up  for  the  purpose  of  paying  him." 

Another  gentleman  rose  and  said:  "I  dislike  collec- 
tions; but  if  we  must  have  one,  I  propose  that  it  be 
postponed  till  to-morrow  evening,  when  we  will  come 
prepared." 

The  third  evening  was  very  rainy,  and  a  collection 
was  taken  up,  amounting  to  one  dollar  and  eighty 
cents.  A  gentleman  standing  near  the  table  where 
the  njoney  was  being  counted,  remarked:  "It  is  very 
small ;  I  do  not  mind  making  it  up  out  of  my  own 
pocket  to  two  dollars ; "  and  as  he  laid  two  ten  cent 
pieces  on  the  table,  said,  with  a  great  deal  of  em- 
phasis: "For  the  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire." 

I  refused  to  take  two  dollars  for  six  days'  work,  at 
an  expense  to  me  of  five  dollars,  and  left.  The  next 
morning  three  liquor  sellers  sent  me  a  note  with  five 
dollars  inclosed,  as  they  thought  I  had  worked  hard 
enough  to  be  paid. 

On  another  occasion,  after  I  had  been  speaking  for 
nearly  two  hours,  and  taken  my  seat,  bathed  in  perspi- 
ration, the  chairman  rose  and  proposed  a  vote  of  thanks 
for  the  lecture, — which  was  passed  unanimously.  As 
the  audience  were  being  dismissed,  I  asked  if  that 
vote  of  thanks  "  could  be  given  me  in  writing  ?  as 
perhaps  the  conductor  on  the  train  would  take  it -for 
my  fare."  The  hint  was  sufficient,  and  a  collection 
was  taken  up,  amounting  to  four  dollars. 

This  was  not  meanness,  but  thoughtlessness;  and 
I  speak  of  these  things,  not  censoriously  or  to  find 
fault,  but  to  show  the  early  struggles  of  temperance 
advocates;  and  as  a  hint  to  those  young  men  who 


162     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

are  ambitious  to  be  public  speakers,  and  who  some- 
times come  to  me  and  ask  how  they  shall  attain  to 
the  position  of  a  lecturer,  that  a  man  cannot  jump 
at  once  to  a  position,  but  must  climb  up  the  hill, — 
sometimes  slowly  and  painfully, — before  he  can  earn 
a  reputation. 

All  these  experiences  were  very  valuable  to  me, 
and  I  ought  to  be  the  last  man  to  grumble,  when  the 
public  has  treated  me  so  generously.  I  say  this,  lest 
I  should  be  misunderstood  in  alluding  to  these  inci- 
dents. 

I  might  fill  a  book  with  amusing  and  affecting 
scenes  that  I  witnessed.  It  was  in  most  respects  a 
pleasant  work,  and  I  enjoyed  it  exceedingly.  I  vis- 
ited prisons,  penitentiaries,  houses  of  correction;  have 
spoken  to  the  deaf  and  dumb,  the  blind,  and  twice  to 
the  insane.  I  was  requested  by  a  gentleman  to  call 
on  the  hardest  case  in  a  certain  town.  I  told  him 
then, — what  has  been  my  experience  since, — that,  ex- 
cept in  particular  cases,  such  calls  would  do  more  harm 
than  good.  If  the  man  is  willing  to  see  me,  I  will 
gladly  go  to  him;  if  he  will  come  to  see  me,  I  will 
gladly  give  him  my  time ;  but  for  a  stranger  to  go  un- 
invited and  unexpected,  he  might  be  met  with:  "Who 
told  you  I  was  a  drunkard  ?  you  mind  your  business, 
and  I'll  mind  mine.  When  I  want  you  I'll  send  for 
you;  and  you  had  better  stay  away  till  you  are  sent 
for."  I  know  /  should  have  said  something  of  this 
kind,  had  any  man  called  on  me.  At  any  rate,  in 
certain  states  of  mind  I  should  have  resented  it. 
It  is  a  very  difficult  matter  to  approach  a  drunkard. 
If  his  friends  can  arrange  for  an  interview,  well  and 
good. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     163 

Said  the  gentleman:  "He  is  a  sad  brute;  when 
drunk  he  is  a  perfect  devil.  He  beat  his  daughter — 
a  girl  fourteen  years  of  age — with  a  strap  that  shoe- 
makers fasten  the  last  on  the  knee  with,  so  that  she 
will  carry  the  marks,  probably,  to  her  grave.  And 
yet,  when  sober,  he  is  kind  and  gentle;  loves  his 
children ;  is  tender  to  his  wife, — and  the  poor  woman 
is  sick  with  bilious  fever,  and  the  doctor  thinks  she 
can  hardly  recover.  He  has  not  been  drinking  for 
some  days,  and  I  think  if  you  could  get  at  him  you 
might  do  him  good." 

I  said,  " I  will  go." 

The  house  was  shown  me,  and  I  knocked  at  the 
door.  He  opened  it,  and  knew  me,  for  he  had  been 
to  one  of  the  lectures. 

"Mr.  Gongh,  I  believe." 

"Yes,  that's  my  name;  would  you  please  give  me 
a  drink  of  water?" 

"  Certainly ;  come  in." 

I  went  in,  and  sat  down.  He  brought  the  water. 
I  noticed  two  children  playing  on  the  floor;  a  door 
was  half  open,  leading — as  I  found  afterwards — to 
the  room  where  the  wife  lay  sick.  I  talked  with  him 
about  the  weather,  the  roads,  the  freshet,  the  Contem- 
plated railroad  to  the  town, — striving  to  introduce 
the  subject  of  temperance ;  but  the  man  seemed  de- 
termined that  I  should  not;  and  when  I  approached 
the  subject,  would  head  me  off.  I  felt  perplexed,  and 
thought  of  leaving,  when,  noticing  the  children,  I  said : 

"You've  two  bright  children  there ;  are  they  yours?" 

"Yes,  they're  mine;  and  they're  bright  enough." 

"You  love  your  children;  do  you  not?" 

"  Sartain !   I  love  my  children." 


1G4     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

"•Would  you  not  do  anything  you  could  to  benefit 
your  children?" 

He  looked  grave,  as  if  there  was  something  else 
coming  after  that,  and  said:  "Sartain!  I  ought  to  be 
willing  to  benefit  my  children." 

"Well,"  and  I  got  up,  ready  to  get  out  of  the  door 
if  he  should  be  offended,  "do  you  not  believe  that  if 
you  gave  up  drink,  the  children  would  be  better  off?" 

Looking  curiously  at  me,  he  half  chuckled  out: 
"Waal,  yes, — yes, — if  I  should  give  up  the  drink  the 
children  would  be  better  off." 

"You  have  a  good  wife?" 

"Yes,  sir!  as  good  a  wife  as  ever  a  man  had." 

"You  love  your  wife?" 

"Sartain!  (a  little  impatiently)  I  love  my  wife; 
it's  natural  for  a  man  to  love  his  wrife." 

"Would  you  not  do  anything  you  could  to  please 
your  wife?" 

"Sartain!  I  ought  to  please  her  if  I  can." 

"Do  you  not  think,  if  you  signed  the  pledge,  that 
would  please  her?" 

Springing  to  his  feet,  he  cried  out:  "I  couldn't  do 
anything  would  please  her  like  that!  By  thunder! 
if  I  should  sign  the  pledge,  I  really  believe  the  old 
woman  would  be  up  and  about  her  business  in  a  week, 
sick  as  she  is  now." 

"Then,"  I  said,  "you'll  do  it." 

"I  will!" 

He  opened  a  closet,  took  out  some  ink  and  an  old 
pen;  I  spread  out  the  pledge;  he  sat  down,  and, 
laying  his  cheek  almost  on  the  table, — if  he  did  not 
flourish  with  his  pen  he  did  with  his  tongue, — wrote 
his  name.  As  he  laid  down  the  pen  he  said, "  There ! " 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     165 

The  children  had  stopped  their  play  when  we  be- 
gan to  speak  of  temperance.  They  knew  what  a 
drunken  father  was,  and  what  the  pledge  would  do 
for  them ;  and  as  he  signed,  their  eyes  grew  large, 
like  saucers,  and  one  said  to  the  other,  "  Father  has 
signed  the  pledge  ! " 

Lifting  up  her  hands,  the  other  cried  out:  "Oh,  my! 
how  I'll  go  and  tell  my  mother." 

She  ran  into  the  room;  but  the  mother  had  been 
listening  and  heard  it  all,  and  I  could  hear  her  softly 
say :  "  Luke !  Luke !  come  in  here,  Luke ! " 

Turning  to  me,  he  said:  "Come  in  here  with  me 
and  see  my  wife;  she'll  like  to  see  you." 

I  went  into  the  room.  There  lay  the  wife,  very 
pale, — her  eyes  so  large !  with  one  thin,  bony  hand 
she  took  mine,  and  with  the  other,  the  hand  of  her 
husband,  and  said:  "Luke  is  as  good  a  man  as  ever 
lived;  a  kind  father,  a  good  provider,  a  loving  hus- 
band;— it  is  only  the  drink  that  makes  the  difficulty." 

The  man  shook  like  a  leaf,  and,  snatching  his  hand 
from  the  grasp  of  his  wife,  tore  down  her  night-dress, 
and,  pointing  to  a  bad-looking  bruise  on  the  shoulder 
near  her  neck,  cried  out:  "She  says  I'm  good!  she 
says  I'm  good!  look  at  that!  I  did  that  three  days 
before  she  was  taken  down  sick;  and  she  says  I'm 
good*  God  Almighty  forgive  me  for  that!  Am  I 
good?"  Dropping  on  his  knees,  he  laid  his  head  on 
the  bed,  and,  convulsively  weeping,  clutched  the  bed- 
clothes. 

She  laid  her  hand  on  his  head:  "Don't,  Luke;  please 

don't  cry.   Don't  believe  him,  Mr.  Gough.    He  wouldn't 

have  struck  me  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  drink. 

It  wasn't  you,  Luke  dear,  it  was  the  drink.   Don't  cry, 

11 


166     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

please;  you've  signed  the  pledge,  and  we're  all  right 
now." 

When  I  left  them,  if  my  eyes  had  been  dry,  I 
should  have  been  ashamed  of  myself.  Two  years 
after  I  saw  them,  and  he  had  kept  his  pledge;  but 
since  that  I  have  known  nothing  of  them.  This  is 
one  case,  among  hundreds,  for  which  I  thank  God 
with  all  my  heart  to-day. 

On  one  occasion  I  had  made  an  appointment  in  a 
small  town  in  Massachusetts,  and,  accompanied  by  a 
friend,  I  rode  seven  miles,  and  arrived  at  the  church 
as  the  people  were  assembling.  Not  knowing  any 
one,  I  approached  a  plain-looking  man,  and  asked  if 
there  was  to  be  a  lecture  there  2 

"  Yaas." 

"Who  is  the  lecturer?" 

"  Gough." 

"  Can  you  tell  me  where  I  can  find  the  President 
of  the  Society?" 

"  I  spect  /  am  the  President." 

"  Ah ! — my  name  is  Gough." 

"  Waal,  it's  most  time  to  go  in." 

So  in  we  went,  and  I  sat  in  a  pew  till  he  came  to 
me,  and  said,  "You'd  better  go  in  the  desk." 

"Is  there  any  one  here  to  offer  prayer?"  I  asked 

".No ;  the  minister's  away." 

"  Is  there  no  deacon  ?  " 

"  I  spect  I'm  a  deacon." 

"Can't  you  pray?" 

"  No  ;  I  don't  speak  in  meeting." 

As  I  passed  into  the  desk,  he  stood  below  and  an- 
nounced :  "  Mr.  Gough  is  in  the  desk,  and  is  going  to 
lectur." 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     167 

So  I  "lectur'd"  as  well  as  I  was  able,  and  had  no 
sooner  taken  my  seat  than  I  heard  from  below: 
"We'll  now  percede  to  take  up  a  collection  for  the 
benefit  of  the  lecturer." 

As  no  one  seemed  inclined  to  move,  he  passed 
round  with  his  hat,  while  the  people  were  going  out, 
and,  dumping  the  contents- on  the  table  in  front  of  the 
pulpit,  and  shaking  the  lining  of  his  hat,  said :  "There  ! 
that's  all  for  you,  and  we  sha'n't  take  nothing  out  for 
lights." 

The  amount  did  not  exceed  a  dollar  and  a  half, — 
principally  in  cents;  some  of  them  the  tokens  that 
were  then  in  vogue,  and  passing  as  current  coin, 
stamped  on  one  side  with  a  jackass  running  away 
with  the  sub-treasury. 

I  said,  "  I  don't  want  it," 

«  Why,  there's  a  lot  of  it." 

"I  don't  want  it." 

"Yer  don't?" 

"No." 

"Waal,  then  I'll  take  it." 

And  sweeping  the  coin  into  his  hat,  and  holding 
it  before  him,  dipped  his  head  into  it,  exclaiming : 
"  Waal,  I  guess  I  can  carry  it." 

I  said,  "You've  got  more  cents  in  your  hat  than 
usual." 

"Waal,  yes;  I  don't  generally  carry  cents  in  my 
hat." 

"But  some  of  it  is  jackass  cents." 

"Waal,  yes;  I  see  there  was  some  bungtowns  in 
the  heap." 

And  without  another  word  he  marched  off)  leaving 
me  to  laugh,  which  I  did  most  heartily,  and  make  the 


168     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

best  of  ray  way  to  our  starting  point;  and,  I  assure 
you,  my  friend  and  I  were  very  merry,  and  made  the 
woods  ring  as  we  passed  through  them.  The  whole 
thing  was  so  irresistibly  ludicrous  to  me,  that  I  must 
be  excused  for  inserting  it. 

Time  and  hard  work  brought  me  to  August  23, 
1843,  when,  at  a  celebration  at  Hopkinton,  I  first  met 
Deacon  Moses  Grant  of  Boston.  He  had  sent  me  re- 
peated invitations  to  visit  that  city,  which  I  had  de- 
clined, being  perfectly  well  satisfied  with  my  work  in 
smaller  places,  and  having  a  great  dread  of  speaking 
in  Boston.  But  wrhen  I  met  him  at  Hopkinton,  he 
asked  to  see  my  book  of  appointments,  and,  immedi- 
ately placing  his  finger  on  the  sixteenth,  twenty-first, 
twenty-second,  and  twenty-third  days  of  September, 
told  me  I  must  consider  myself  engaged  by  him  for 
those  days.  Mr.  Grant  then  very  kindly  told  me  to 
come  to  his  house,  and  divest  myself  of  all  fear;  for 
a  good  opportunity  should  be  given  me. 

I  fulfilled  my  engagements  till  Saturday,  the  six- 
teenth of  September,  and  on  that  day  reached  Boston, 
and  went  at  once  to  Mr.  Grant's  house,  where  I  was 
kindly  received, — though  the  Deacon  was  visiting  his 
pet  institution,  the  Farm  School  for  boys,  and  would 
not  return  till  evening.  When  I  went  to  the  room 
appointed  for  me,  I  found  my  coat  was  badly  ripped. 
This  was  an  unfortunate  dilemma,  for  it  was  my  only 
coat,  and  it  must  be  mended.'  One  of  the  family 
kindly  offered  to  do  it  for  me ;  and,  while  sitting  in 
my  shirt-sleeves  in  my  chamber,  a  message  came  that 
a  man  wanted  to  see  me.  When  he  came  to  my  room 
I  found  he  was  an  officer  with  a  writ  against  me  for 
twenty  dollars,  owing  to  Mrs.  Lunt,  with  whom  some 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     169 

years  before  I  had  boarded.  It  was  a  just  debt,  and  I 
was  struggling  hard  to  pay  what  I  owed;  for  when  I 
signed  the  pledge  I  was  in  debt  some  five  hundred 
dollars,  contracted  in  different  places.  Here  was  an- 
other dilemma: — I  must  either  get  security,  pay  the 
money,  or  go  with  the  officer, — and  my  first  speech  in 
Boston  to  be  given  in  a  few  hours !  The  officer  was 
very  kind,  and  waited  till  my  coat  was  mended,  and 
then  accompanied  me  to  the  Washingtonian  head- 
quarters, in  Court  Street,  where  one  of  the  officers 
became  security,  and  I  returned  to  Mr.  Grant's  house. 
Immediately  on  his  return  he  made  an  arrangement 
to  assume  or  pay  the  debt  till  I  could  work  it  out. 

This  kindness  of  the  officer  of  the  Washingtonian 
Temperance  Society  was  thus  noticed  in  their  organ, 
the  "New  England  Washingtonian,"  April  10,  1845, 
when  the  editors  had  become  offended  with  me : — 
"Who  was  it  that  took  him  from  the  hands  of  the 
officer,  and  bailed  him,  and  saved  him  from  going  to 
jail,  and  there  lying  from  Saturday  night  till  Monday 
morning,  when  Deacon  Grant,  Levite-like,  turned  his 
back  on  him,  and  would  not  assist  him,  because  he 
'did  not  know  the  young  man?"' 

However,  all  things  were  made  straight,  and  I  pro- 
ceeded with  Mr.  Grant  to  the  room  under  the  Boston 
Museum,  in  Tremont  Street.  I  felt  rather  apprehen- 
sive in  view  of  speaking  in  Boston,  for  I  had  heard 
it  spoken  of  as  the  modern  Athens,  and  knew  that, 
as  to  intelligence,  it  stood  very  high  among  the 
cities  of  the  Union.  It  was  of  no  use  to  look  back, 
for  I  was  engaged  to  speak,  though  I  really  felt  half 
inclined  to  run  away;  but  I  determined  to  pluck  up 
courage.  The  hall  was  about  half  filled.  I  had  fre- 


170     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

quently  faced  larger  audiences,  but  I  had  never  ex- 
perienced so  much  hesitation  and  nervous  sensibility, 
as  then.  My  courage,  like  that  of  "Bob  Acres," 
seemed  to  be  oozing  out  at  my  finger  ends,  and  my 
heart  palpitated  with  apprehension.  But  I  managed 
to  get  through  the  ordeal — for  such  in  reality  it  was 
— without  my  trepidation  having  been  much  observed. 
Since  that  time  I  have  delivered  three  hundred  and 
twenty-one  public  lectures  in  Boston,  besides  ad- 
dresses to  children  at  various  times ;  and  I  have  been 
ever  treated  with  the  greatest  kindness  and  liberal- 
ity by  the  Boston  press  and  people,  with  very  few 
exceptions. 

On  the  four  following  days  I  spoke  in  Roxbury, 
and  on  the  21st  I  spoke  again  in  Boston.  On  the 
next  two  evenings  I  spoke  in  Marlboro  Chapel.  Al- 
though I  had  heard  much  of  temperance  meetings 
being  frequently  held  in  that  famous  hall,  I  had  never 
seen  them.  On  the  first  night  it  was  about  half  full, 
and  on  the  next,  the  audience  filled  the  building.  I 
then  left  Boston,  and  traveled  through  the  various 
towns  in  the  vicinity,  delivering  addresses,  until  the 
following  3d  of  November,  when  I  returned  to  the  city, 
and  spoke  three  or  four  times  at  Marlboro  Chapel,  and 
on  five  or  six  occasions  at  the  Odeon.  I  felt  some 
diffidence  about  speaking  at  the  latter  place,  fearing 
it  was  too  large  for  me ;  but,  to  my  surprise,  on  Sun- 
day night  it  was  very  full ;  and  on  the  Monday  even- 
ing, crowded  to  excess.  This  reception  encouraged 
me,  and  I  continued  to  give  addresses  in  Boston,  with 
very  few  exceptions,  till  the  2d  of  December,  when 
I  went  to  Portland,  Maine,  and  again  returned  to 
Boston ;  speaking  in  the  course  of  the  month  some- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     171 

times  for  the  Washingtonians,  and  sometimes  for  the 
Ladies'  Benevolent  Society, — but  principally  under 
the  direction  of  my  friend  Deacon  Grant,  and  the 
Boston  Temperance  Society, —  under  the  judicious 
management  of  that  gentleman,  who  then  acted  as 
its  President. 

My  services  were  now  in  requisition  at  Concord, 
N.  H.,  where  I  spoke  in  connection  with  Franklin 
Pierce,  afterwards  President  of  the  United  States ;  then 
in  New  Bedford,  Nashua,  Gloucester,  Marblehead,  and 
Rockport;  and  I  made  a  trip  into  the  old  colony  of 
Plymouth,  where  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  landed;  and 
visited  also  the  towns  of  Newburyport,  Newport,  R  I., 
and  many  other  places, — returning  occasionally  to  the 
city,  and  speaking  to  large  audiences  there. 

On  the  23d  of  November,  1843,  I  left  Boston  for 
Boylston,  for  the  purpose  of  marriage ;  and  on  the 
next  day — the  24th — I  left  the  house  of  Captain 
Stephen  Flagg  of  Boylston  with  Miss  Mary  Whit- 
comb,  who  had  consented  to  become  my  wife.  It  was 
early  in  the  morning,  raining  heavily,  that  we  started 
in  a  carriage  hired  in  Worcester  for  the  occasion. 
There  were  no  bridal  wreaths  or  gifts;  no  wedding 
ring  or  cards ;  no  bridesmaids  or  grooms, — only  we 
two,  agreeing  to  walk  the  journey  of  life  together. 
We  were  driven  to  the  house  of  Rev.  Mr.  Smalley  of 
Worcester, — a  gentleman  who  from  the  first  had  been 
my  friend, — and  found  him  at  breakfast.  We  stood 
up  together  and  left  his  house  husband  and  wife; 
proceeded  at  once  to  Boston,  where  Deacon  Grant  met 
us  and  escorted  us  to  Roxbury,  where  we  rented  one 
room,  and  boarded  with  Mrs.  Fuller. 

When  I  had  paid  the  minister  five  dollars,  and  our 


172  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGII. 

fare  to  Boston,  I  had  just  three  dollars  and  a  half 
left;  but  Mary  was  perfectly  willing  to  risk  it  with 
me, — though  in  addition,  I  was  somewhat  in  debt.  I 
had  a  "Daily  Food,"  with  passages  of  Scripture  for 
every  day  in  the  year;  and  the  passage  for  November 
24,  1843,  was:— 

"  He  shall  cover  thee  with  His  feathers,  and  under 
His  wings  shalt  thou  trust.  His  truth  shall  be  thy 
shield  and  buckler." — Psalms  xci.  4. 

.Truly  He  has  covered  us  till  now,  and  caused  our 
"cup  to  run  over  with  good."  He  has  "set  our  table 
for  us  in  the  sight  of  all  our  enemies,  and  given  us  a 
goodly  heritage!" 

Mr.  Grant  had  been  quite  curious  in  reference  to 
my  choice  of  a  wife,  and  very  desirous  of  seeing  her ; 
so,  when  we  arrived,  he  bade  me  see  to  the  luggage, 
while  he  accompanied  Mrs.  Gough  to  the  waiting- 
room.  I  secured  the  trunks,  and  met  him  coming  out 
of  the  waiting-room  alone.  Laying  his  hand  on  my 
shoulder,  he  said,  "She'll  do." 

And  nobly  she  has  done, — my  faithful,  true,  and 
loving  wife, — for  twenty-five  years ! 

I  spoke  the  same  evening  in  Koxbury,  for  the 
Ladies'  Benevolent  Society, — rested  on  the  Sabbath, 
—and  to  work  with  a  will  all  through  the  winter. 
We  were  poor;  and  I  wonder  sometimes,  how  I  lived 
through  all  the  exposure.  Often  I  would  be  placed 
in  the  best  room,  generally  in  the  north-eastern  part 
of  the  house ;  never  warmed ;  often  so  cold  that  my 
flesh  would  sting  as  I  touched  the  sheets;  and,  hav- 
ing but  one  suit  of  clothes,  I  have  more  than  once 
found  my  waistc©at  so  stiff  with  the  frost  that  it 
would  almost  stand  up;  while  rny  other  clothing  was 


AUTOBIOGKAPHT  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     173 

in  like  condition.  I  never  could  speak  without  heavy 
perspiration,  and  I  would  put  these  clothes  on  me  and 
shiver  till  they  had  thawed  and  become  dry;  but  my 
health  continued  good. 

I  had  received  applications  from  New  York,  Phil- 
adelphia, and  other  places ;  and  it  was  decided  by  my 
friends  that  I  should  take  a  trip  to  New  York,  Phil- 
adelphia, Baltimore,  and  Washington,  in  company 
with  Deacon  Grant.  The  anniversary  of  the  Amer- 
ican Temperance  Union  was  to  be  held  on  the  9th  of 
May ;  and  this  occasion  was  to  be  my  first  attempt  in 
New  York. 

We  left  Boston  on  the  8th,  and  reached  the  city  on 
the  morning  of  the  9th,  and  were  entertained  at  the 
Croton  Hotel,  on  Broadway,  kept  by  Mr.  Moore.  Dr. 
Bacon  of  New  Haven,  made  the  first  speech;  I  was 
to  follow.  When  I  rose,  the  audience  began  to  go 
out;  but  I  had  the  opportunity  of  speaking  to  a  large 
number,  and  the  papers  spoke  encouragingly  of  my 
effort. 

I  proceeded,  after  speaking  in  Newark  and  Brook- 
lyn, and  twice  more  in  New  York,  to  Philadelphia. 
Although  arrangements  had  been  made  for  my  speak- 
ing there,  it  was  not  deemed  advisable  to  hold  meet- 
ings, in  consequence  of  the  riots  which  had  recently 
occurred.  But,  after  speaking  five  nights  in  Balti- 
more, and  two  in  Washington,  I  returned  to  Philadel- 
phia, where  I  spoke  in  a  riding-school  to  a  very  small 
audience ;  the  next  night  in  the  large  room  of  the  Chi- 
nese Museum,  to  a  smaller  audience, — only  about  one 
hundred. 

Mr.  Leonard  Jewell,  one  of  the  Executive  Commit- 
tee of  the  Pennsylvania  State  Temperance  Society, 


174  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF  JOHN   B.  GOUGH. 

was  present,  and,  finding  no  one  to  receive  me  or  to 
introduce  me  to  the  audience,  kindly  came  forward, 
made  himself  known  to  me,  and  presided  on  the  oc- 
casion. He  seemed  interested  in  my  address,  and  sug- 
gested the  idea  of  procuring  a  church  for  the  next 
evening  (Sunday).  Accordingly,  through  his  influ- 
ence, the  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  Rev.  A.  Rood 
was  pastor,  was  obtained.  I  went  there  accompanied 
by  Mr.  Jewell ;  as  before,  no  one  received  me,  so  he 
kindly  introduced  me  to  the  pastor.  The  committee 
not  only  permitted  me  to  leave  the  city  without  re- 
muneration, but  without  thanks ;  so  that  my  first  im- 
pressions were  not  very  favorable  ;  though  soon  after- 
wards I  became  wonderfully  attached  to  Philadelphia, 
and  that  attachment  and  affection  have  grown  in 
strength  as  the  years  have  gone  by. 

While  proceeding  to  Boston  to  be  present  at  the 
grand  Temperance  Celebration  on  the  30th  of  May, 
I  delivered  an  address  on  board  the  steamer  Massa- 
chusetts, in  company  with  Dr.  Patton,  Rev.  John 
Marsh,  and  others. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Temperance  Celebration  in  Boston — Description  of  Trip  to  Western 
New  York — Visit  to  the  Penitentiary  on  Blackwell's  Island — Benefit 
at  Tabernacle — Meeting  in  Faneuil  Hall — Work  at  Philadelphia  and 
other  Places — Views  on  Moral  Suasion — Review  of  my  Experience. 

THE  occasion  of  the  30th  of  May  was  one  of  the 
most  interesting  that  ever  occurred  in  the  capital  of 
Massachusetts.  The  whole  population  of  the  city 
seemed,  almost  to  a  man,  to  have  risen  up  and  hailed 
the  celebration  of  the  genius  of  temperance.  It  was 
a  brilliant  day,  in  the  most  beautiful  of  months,  and 
all  heaven  and  earth  seemed  to  conspire  to  do  honor 
to  a  cause  whose  object  was  the  promotion  of  the 
happiness  of  God's  creatures.  The  sun  shone  from  a 
sky  of  cloudless  azure,  and  the  young  May  flowers 
rejoiced  in  his  beams;  the  river  sparkled  as  it  flowed 
along,  bearing  on  its  broad  bosom  majestic  barques, 
decorated  from  trucks  to  main-chains  with  gay  flags 
and  streamers.  Every  now  and  then  a  light  cloud  of 
white  smoke  would  float  upward,  and  then  the  thun- 
der of  cannonading  reverberated  among  the  distant 
hills.  Music  sent  forth  its  glad  tones  upon  the  air; 
and  as  one  band  ceased  its  melody,  another  and  an- 
other would  burst  forth,  until  the  whole  air  was  vocal 
with  sweet  sounds.  The  city  was  dressed  in  gay  at- 
tire, as  we  may  suppose  Venice  was  clad  in  her  bright 
and  palmy  days.  The  stores  were  closed;  for  inno- 


176     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

cent  pleasure  ruled  in  the  marts  of  commerce  for  a 
few  short  hours.  The  custom-house  doors  no  more 
afforded  egress  and  ingress  to  the  busy  sons  of  traffic ; 
and  at  the  banks  were  heard  no  silver  sounds,  proceed- 
ing from  the  money-changers.  The  counting-house 
was  still ;  for  the  merchant  and  his  clerks  had  closed 
the  ledger,  and  determined  to  balance  accounts  with 
temperance,  for  once  in  the  year  at  least.  From 
many  a  warehouse  window,  high  up,  hung  gaily- 
colored  fancy  goods;  and  in  some  streets,  lines  of 
banners  stretched  across  from  end  to  end;  and  hun- 
dreds of  emblematic  bottles  w«re  displayed,  suspended 
from  lines,  bottom  upward,  with  the  corks  out.  From 
every  window  that  commanded  a  view  of  the  proces- 
sion gazed  hundreds  of  old  and  young,  grave  and  gay. 
Those  in  Washington  Street  were  crowded  with  ladies; 
and  never  did  brighter  eyes  rest  on  a  fairer  scene 
than  was  presented  to  the  view  that  day.  It  was  a 
great  day  for  the  women;  yes,  for  the  women!  They 
were  more  interested  in  such  a  demonstration  than  at 
first  glance  might  be  supposed.  If  ever  an  angel 
conveyed  to  them  "  good  tidings,"  surely  it  must  have 
been  the  heavenly  visitant  who  bore  temperance  to 
their  homes.  Weak,  delicate  women  may  well  bless 
a  cause  so  pregnant  with  household  blessings  and  do- 
mestic affections.  How  many  bright  eyes  have  grown 
dim,  and  light  hearts  heavy,  and  delicate  frames 
bowed  down  to  the  dust!  and  what  young  hopes 
have  been  blighted,  and  strong  affections-  crushed, 
and  fair  prospects  blasted,  during  the  absence  of  tem- 
perance from  the  hearth-side!  Ay,  that  hearth  itself 
has  become  a  desolate  place,  a  domestic  desert,  barren 
and  unprofitable ;  for  where  the  mother  sang  to  her 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     177 

girl,  and  the  father  proudly  gazed  on  his  boy, — where 
husband  and  wife  "  took  sweet  counsel  together,"  and 
sister  and  brother  formed  the  social  ring, — scarcely  a 
link  of  the  shivered  chain  is  left  to  tell  where  happi- 
ness once  had  been. 

Families  become  scattered  whenever  intemperance ' 
plants  his  burning  feet  on  the  threshhold;  and  that 

which  was  once — 

"A  little  heaven  below," — 

a  sanctuary  from  the  toil  and  turmoil  of  this  working- 
day  world,  becomes  but  a  cage  of  unclean  birds, — a 
very  Pandemonium.  Home!  the  magic  of  that  word 
is  dispelled  forever,  and  they  who  dwelt  under  the 
family  roof-tree, — 

"Who  grew  in  beauty  side  by  side, 
Who  filled  one  house  with  glee, 
From  each  are  severed  far  and  wide, 
By  stream  and  mount  and  sea." 

Oh!  has  not  woman  reason  to  bless  the  temperance 
cause  ? 

But,  to  the  procession ;  for,  as  no  record  of  it,  ex- 
cept the  ephemeral  reports  of  the  newspapers,  ex- 
ists, I  have  been  induced  to  notice  it  here.  I  had 
witnessed  many  great  gatherings  of  various  descrip- 
tions; but  none  ever  affected  me  as  this  did.  I 
could  scarcely  speak,  and  to  describe  my  feelings 
would  be  impossible.  Such  a  day  I  never,  in  my  most 
sanguine  dreams,  imagined  would  have  dawned  on 
earth.  On  it  came, — a  dense,  gaily  adorned,  moving 
multitude,  all  in  perfect  order;  every  eye  beaming 
with  gladness,  and  every  lip  wreathed  with  smiles. 
The  Boston  Brigade  Band  came  first,  pealing  forth 
strains  of  triumphant  music ;  the  Washington  Light 


178     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

Infantry,  clad  in  the  trappings  of  war,  next  marched 
to  celebrate  the  peaceful  triumphs  of  temperance ; 
and  then  a  magnificent  prize  banner  displayed  its 
gorgeous  folds  to  the  breeze  ;*  after  which  came  a 
four-horse  barouche,  with  two  marshals,  one  on  either 
side,  in  which  was  that  truly  great  and  good  man, 
Governor  Briggs,  the  President  of  the  Day,  accompa- 
nied by  the  President  of  the  Washingtonian  Temper- 
ance Society.  High  as  was  his  situation  as  Governor 
of  the  Bay  State,  never  stood  he  in  a  prouder  posi- 
tion than  on  that  day.  Oh !  it  was  a  noble  thing  to 
see  one  who  possessed  such  influence  exerting  it  in 
so  noble  a  cause,  and  there,  by  his  presence,  encour- 
aging the  progress  of  a  reform,  the  blessings  result- 
ing from  which  will  only  be  known  in  that  day  when 
all  secrets  shall  be  revealed.  A  far  nobler  and  more 
imposing  sight  was  it,  than  fields  of  martial  glory 
could  ever  exhibit, — fields  where  heroes  stood  and  re- 
ceived their  laurels  of  triumph.  The  Governor  of 
Massachusetts  headed  an  army  which  only  pressed  on 
to  achieve  bloodless  victories,  and  proclaim — 
"  Peace  on  earth  !  " 

Such  men  constitute  the  true  nobility ;  universal  be- 
nevolence is  emblazoned  on  their  escutcheons ;  the 
happiness  of  mankind,  temporal  and  eternal,  forms 
their  motto ;  and  the  gratitude  and  admiration  of 
their  kind,  the  rich  seals  to  their  patents  of  nobility ! 
After  a  long  and  imposing  procession  of  temper- 
ance societies,  came  the  cold  water  army, — a  legion 
of  little  ones.  A  pleasant  sight  it  was, — that  array  of 

*  This  flag  was  afterwards  awarded  by  Moses  Kimball,  Esq.,  of  the  Museum, 
to  the  county  having  the  largest  number  in  the  procession,  according  to  its 
population. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     179 

children  as,  with  tiny  feet,  they  marched  along  the 
crowded  streets,  looking  up  to  the  vast  multitude  who 
gazed  on  them,  with  sparkling  eyes  and  delighted 
smiles.  Some  were  there  who  had  once  known  the 
misery  of  having  a  drunken  parent;  who  had  long 
been  strangers  to  the  kind  word  and  approving  smile; 
but  who  now  felt  all  the  blessed  influence  which  tem- 
perance spreads  around.  And  happily  the  little  things 
trooped  on,  waving  mimic  banners,  and  shouting  for 
very  joy.  Some  had  fathers  and  brothers  in  that 
long  line  of  procession,  who  never  saw  their  little 
darlings  so  happy  before.  Oh,  it  was  a  pleasant  sight ! 
This  cold  water  army  had  a  leader,  who  ably, — 

"  Marshaled  them  the  way  that  they  should  go." 

It  was  Deacon  Grant, — the  friend  of  children.  He 
had  not,  like  many  commanders  of  great  armies,  can- 
non at  his  back,  and  bayonets  to  perform  his  bidding. 
He  did  not  issue  bulletins,  or  general  orders ;  but  he 
was  well  supplied — as,  by  the  way,  he  usually  was — 
with  tracts  and  pamphlets  and  hand-bills,  in  such 
vast  and  incredible  numbers, — all  on  the  subject  of 
temperance, — that  it  was  a  mystery  how  he  stowed 
them  away  in  his  many  pockets.  Look  at  him,  now 
that  he  is  wound  up  to  a  pitch  of  enthusiasm  seldom 
equaled,  and  which,  it  would  seem,  never  can  be  sur- 
passed, waving,  not  a  marshal's  baton,  but  a  beaver 
hat,  the  capacious  interior  of  which  has,  by  an  in- 
genious device, been  converted  into  a  teetotal  library; 
a  circulating  one,  too, — for  see  how  the  printed  sheets 
are  flying  in  all  directions!  Hurrah!  shout  the  chil- 
dren in  ecstasy.  All  of  them  are  delighted  and 
pleased  with  Deacon  Grant's  care  of  and  for  them ; 


180     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

and  as  pleased  and  happy  as  any  one  of  his  little  bat- 
talion is  Deacon  Grant  himself. 

It  would  be  an  idle  thing  to  attempt  a  description 
or  enumeration  of  the  many  devices  which  appeared 
on  the  banners  and  flags  displayed  in  the  procession, — 
which  consisted,  at  a  moderate  computation,  of  forty 
or  fifty  thousand  persons.  It  was  altogether  a  mag- 
nificent sight,  and  one  which  had  never  been  par- 
alleled. 

I  saw  one  man  in  the  long  line  who  called  up 
emotions  of  thankful  interest  in  my  heart.  Some 
time  before,  that  person  came  to  me  at  my  house  in 
Koxbury,  a  wretched,  drunken,  broken-down  creature, 
and  signed  the  pledge.  When  he  had  done  so,  the 
poor  fellow  clasped  his  hands,  and  said:  "Oh,  Mr. 
Gough!  do  you  think  lean  keep  it?  Do  you  think  I 
shall  be  able  to  perform  my  promise?" 

I  assured  him  that  he  could ;  and  he  expressed  his 
earnest  intention  to  adhere  to  his  pledge.  I  now  saw 
that  very  man,  with  a  firm  step  and  a  flash  of  honest 
pride  in  his  eye,  bearing  aloft  a  mottoed  banner.  He 
was  a  free  man,  and  rejoiced  in  his  emancipation.  Oh ! 
my  heart  thrilled  with  joy  as  I  gazed,  and  knew  and 
felt  that  hundreds  such  as  he  were  joining  in  the 
festival  of  the  day.  Men  who  had  been  redeemed 
from  a  worse  than  Egyptian  thralldom,  and  were  re- 
stored to  their  homes,  to  their  families,  and  to  society. 
As  banner  after  banner,  with  their  various  mottoes, 
passed  by  me,  my  feelings  were  strung  to  an  almost 
painful  degree  of  tension ;  for  I  remembered  all  the 
past,  and  could  not  help  contrasting  my  present  situa- 
tion with  what  it  had  been. 

The  good  city  of  Boston  never  witnessed  a  prouder 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     181 

array  in  her  streets,  than  on  that  day.  As  the  pro- 
cession passed  through  the  various  thoroughfares,  it 
was  hailed  with  joyous  acclamations;  and,  in  many 
places,  bouquets  and  garlands  of  flowers  were  show- 
ered from  the  windows  by  their  fair  occupants. 
When  it  arrived  at  the  entrance  to  the  spacious  Com- 
mon, the  "great  cold  water  army"  filed  off  in  par- 
allel lines,  and  between  them  went  the  long  train  of 
living  beings  to  the  place  of  appointment. 

The  old  Common  was  all  alive  that  day;  from  the 
dome  of  the  State  House  floated  the  stars  and  stripes, 
the  gorgeous  folds  of  the  national  flag  appearing  in 
full  relief  against  a  sky  of  dazzling  azure.  Banners 
appeared  in  every  direction,  and  the  deep  boom  of 
the  drum  resounded  from  all  quarters.  During  the 
intervals  of  music  there  was  almost  a  Sabbath  still- 
ness, although  from,  sixty  to  seventy  thousand  persons 
were  present.  The  most  pqrfect  order  was  preserved, 
and  nothing  tended  to  mar  the  peaceful  proceedings 
of  the  time.  The  mighty  mass  assembled  around 
stands  which  had  been  erected  on  the  Common,  and 
a  prayer  having  been  offered  up,  in  which  blessings 
were  implored  on  the  great  cause  of  temperance.,  the 
united  voices  of  the  vast  assemblage — a  noble  band  of 
freemen — arose  to  heaven  in  a  shout  of — 

"  We're  a  band  of  freemen, 
We're  a  band  of  freemen,"  etc. 

When  the  voices  had  ceased,  Governor  Briggs  arose 
and  expressed  in  eloquent  terms  his  high  gratification 
at  the  spectacle  before  him ;  such  an  one,  he  hesitated 
not  to  say,  as  had  never  been  witnessed  in  the  world 
before.  His  Excellency  spoke  for  more  than  half  an 
hour,  and  his  remarks  elicited  loud  and  frequent 
12 


182     AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

plaudits.  The  Governor  was  followed  by  other  speak- 
ers, whose  addresses  were  listened  to  with  deep  inter- 
est. It  was  a  glorious  thing  to  see  men  who  stood  in 
high  places,  and  enjoying  the  confidence  of  the  wise 
and  good,  taking  conspicuous  parts  in  such  proceed- 
ings; and  if  angels  ever  rejoice  over  earthly  scenes, 
surely  it  might  have  been  while  contemplating  such 
a  great  moral  spectacle.  As  I  was  much  fatigued  by 
my  labors  during  the  past  few  weeks,  I  did  no't  take 
any  part  in  the  proceedings  of  the  day,  at  least  in 
the  open  air.  Indeed,  I  do  not  think  I  could  have 
spoken  at  that  time ;  my  heart  was  too  full.  An  en- 
gagement, however,  had  been  made  for  me  to  speak 
in  the  Tremont  Temple  in  the  evening,  to  which 
place  an  admission  fee  of  twenty-five  cents  was  re- 
quired, for  the  purpose  of  defraying  expenses.  The 
house  was  filled  to  overflowing,  as  soon  as  the  doors 
were  opened.  The  Governor,  myself,  and  several 
others,  then  delivered  addresses,  which  closed  the 
exercises  of  the  day. 

In  June,  I  concluded  an  engagement  with  Rev. 
John  Marsh,  to  deliver  a  series  of  thirty  addresses  in 
Western  New  York,  at  ten  dollars  per  lecture,  I  pay- 
ing my  wife's  and  my  own  expenses, — for  at  that  time 
she  traveled  with  me  constantly.  On  this  trip,  I  first 
saw  Niagara  Falls,  which  wonder  of  the  world  I  will 
not  venture  to  describe ;  not  being  desirous  of  adding 
one  more  to  the  list  of  incapables  in  this  respect. 
August  I  spent  in  Massachusetts;  September,  in 
Maine ;  October,  in  Massachusetts  and  Rhode  Island ; 
and  commenced  a  series  of  lectures  in  New  York  and 
vicinity,  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  John  Marsh,  on 
the  same  terms  as  before.  While  at  Brooklyn  I  be- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     183 

came  acquainted  with  Mr.  George  Hurlbut  and  Mr. 
George  C.  Ripley,  two  gentlemen  who  became  my 
true,  firm,  and  ever  faithful  friends,  and  of  whom 
I  cannot  speak  but  with  a  thrill  of  deep  grati- 
tude. Mr.  Hurlbut  passed  away,  and  went  home  in 
1846.  Mr.  Ripley  still  lives,  my  dear  and  honored 
friend.  My  wife  and  I  visited  at  Mr.  Hurlbut's  two 
weeks  of  our  stay  in  Brooklyn,  and  received  from  him 
and  his  amiable  wife  many  proofs  of  Christian  kindness. 
At  the  request  of  a  lady,  named  Sanderson,  I  was 
induced  to  visit  that  dreary  abode  of  misery  and 
crime, — the  Penitentiary,  on  Blackwell's  Island,  near 
New  York.  Mrs.  Sanderson,  like  the  celebrated  Mrs. 
Fry  of  England,  and  Miss  Dix  of  America,  devotes 
much  of  her  time  to  what  would  appear  to  some,  the 
almost  hopeless  task  of  reforming  the  wretched  be- 
ings who  are  consigned  to  this  fearful  place.  In  the 
language  of  the  Superintendent  of  the  Prison,  "She 
does  more  good  than  fifty  men."  My  object  in  going 
was  to  hold  a  temperance  meeting.  Soon  after  my 
arrival,  the  doors  of  the  different  cells — which  are 
built  in  tiers,  one  over  the  other — were  opened,  and 
the  convicts,  male  and  female  (some  eight  hundred  in 
number),  were  led  into  the  large  chapel  of  the  Peni- 
tentiary, and  informed  by  the  keeper  of  the  object 
of  the  meeting.  His  Honor,  the  Mayor,  James  Har- 
per, Esq.,  occupied  the  pulpit ;  and  one  or  two  clergy- 
men, and  some  other  gentlemen  were  present.  It 
was  a  striking  sight,  that  assemblage  of  men  and 
women  of  all  ages  and  descriptions.  There  was  the 
hardened  criminal,  and  the  j7outh  who  had  only  just 
commenced  the  career  of  crime ;  women  who  retained 
little  of  womanhood  in  their  swollen  and  bloated 


184     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

features,  and  young  girls,  on  whose  countenances 
traces  of  beauty  yet  lingered,  sat  side  by  side ;  all 
had  committed  oifences  against  the  laws,  and  were 
enduring  its  punishment.  Such  an  audience  I  never 
before  stood  up  to  address ;  the  spectacle  was  fear- 
fully interesting.  In  noticing  the  service,  the  New 
York  "Sun"  said:— 

At  the  early  part  of  the  meeting,  the  prisoners  seemed  rather  in- 
different to  what  was  going  on;  but  the  first  sound  of  Mr.  Gough's 
voice  had  scarcely  died  away,  ere  their  hardened  countenances  began  to 
relax,  and,  in  a  few  moments,  every  eye  was  riveted  on  the  speaker, 
with  an  expression  of  the  deepest  interest.  As  he  proceeded  with  his 
touching  appeals,  many  a  rough  cheek  was  moistened  with  tears,  and 
the  words,  "That's  the  truth,"  were  often  nodded  about  the  room  as 
plainly  as  if  they  had  been  spoken.  The  women  particularly,  seemed 
much  affected ;  and  manifested  less  anxiety  to  conceal  their  feelings 
than  the  men.  It  may  not  be  improper  to  mention,  too,  that  the  optics 
of  our  worthy  Chief  Magistrate  were,  at  intervals,  unusually  red;  but 
this  might  have  been  owing  to  the  rough  wind  he  had  encountered  in 
crossing  the  river,  or  to  an  improper  adjustment  of  the  spectacles  on 
his  benevolent  nose. 

At  the  close  of  my  address,  His  Honor  requested 
those  of  the  prisoners  who  would  like  to  have  another 
temperance  meeting  held  there  some  Sunday,  to  man- 
ifest it  by  raising  their  hands.  Every  hand  in  the 
room  apparently,  was  instantly  shown,  and  one  poor 
fellow  ventured  to  bawl  out,  "Let's  have  one  every 
Sunday."  I  was  informed,  that  after  I  left  the  Peniten- 
tiary, several  of  the  prisoners  applied  to  the  Superin- 
tendent, and  requested  permission  to  sign  the  pledge. 

Principally  through  the  suggestion  and  exertion 
of  my  kind  and  valued  friends,  Mr.  Hurlbut  and  Mr. 
Ripley  of  Brooklyn,  a  benefit  was  got  up  for  me  on 
Christmas  evening,  at  the  Tabernacle,  in  Broadway, 
New  York.  The  New  York  press  took  the  matter  in 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     185 

hand,  and  almost  without  exception .  did  all  in  their 
power  to  promote  the  object  in  view-  The  attendance 
at  the  Tabernacle  was  very  large,  and  fully  answered 
its  intended  object.  At  its  close,  a  series  of  resolutions 
were  passed,  which  expressed  approval  of  my  efforts 
in  the  temperance  cause,  and  a  desire  that  I  should 
again  visit  the  city. 

I  again  left  New  York  for  Boston  ;  and,  on  the  29th 
of  December,  delivered  another  address  at  the  Tre- 
mont  Temple,  in  that  city;  after  which  I  proceeded 
to  Taunton,  where  a  meeting  was  held — at  which  I 
spoke — for  the  benefit  of  Mr.  Williams,  editor  of  the 
Taunton  "Dew-Drop,"  a  deserving  little  sheet,  de- 
voted to  the  interests  of  the  temperance  cause. 

The  year  was  now  drawing  to  a  close,  and  it  was 
arranged  that  a  grand  meeting  in  Faneuil  Hall  should 
be  held  on  its  last  evening.  I  was  present,  and  de- 
livered an  address  on  the  interesting  occasion.  The 
old  "  Cradle  of  Liberty  "  contained<  a  vast  assemblage, 
and  hundreds  who  were  present  felt  that,  since  the 
dying  year  commenced,  they  had  thrown  off  fetters 
which  had  long  galled  them,  and  were  now  blessed 
with  freedom  in  its  noblest  sense.  Minds  which  had 
long  bowed  down  in  blind  idolatry  to  the  monster, 
rum,  had  been  emancipated  from  its  tyrannic  rule, 
and  now  saw  the  old  year,  as  it  passed  away,  bearing 
with  it  the  record  of  their  liberty.  Many  were  there, 
too,  who  had  welcomed  in  that  year  with  song  and 
wine, — who  had  wreathed  about  its  young  temples 
the  garlands  which  dissipation  loves  to  twine,  and 
sent  it,  as  it  were,  reeling  on  its  pathway  towards  the 
future;  but  who  now  watched  it,  departing  forever, 
laden  with  ardent  hopes,  high  resolves,  and — better 


186     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

than  either — fulfilled  purposes.  During  that  year, 
what  changes  had  taken  place!  When  the  keen 
blasts  of  January  howled  around  yonder  dwelling,  in 
the  outskirts  of  this  populous  city,  a  pale,  wan  woman 
might  have  been  sitting, — 

"  Plying  her  needle  and  thread ;" 

and,  as  she  pondered  on  the  new  year  just  entered 
upon  its  existence,  she  looked  forward  to  its  months 
with  no  hope,  and  reverted  to  the  past  with  no  pleas- 
ure. The  past!  what  had  it  written  on  the  page  of 
memory,  to  cheer  her?  He  to  whom  her  young 
vows  were  given, — who  had  promised  to  love  and 
cherish  her, — had  all  but  deserted  her,  and  had  buried 
feeling  and  affection  in  the  intoxicating  cup.  One 
by  one,  every  slender  thread  of  comfort  had  snapped, 
and  with  them  some  fine  heart-strings  cracked  too. 
Earth  to  her  appeared  but  a  long  dreary  desert,  over 
which  a  miserable  caravan  was  passing,  from  which, 
each  after  the  other,  the  wretched  pilgrims  turned 
away  and  died,  far  from  the  refreshing  fountain  for 
which  they  pined.  And  the  partner  of  that  lone 
woman  was  away,  bidding  farewell  to  the  old  year, 
and  welcoming  the  new,  with  the  poisonous  cup  and 
the  thoughtless  toast,  forgetting  that  every  moment 
which  floated  by  bore  its  record  with  it.  That  mid- 
night scene  might  have  been  in  the  eye  of  the  writer, 
who,  in  portraying  such  sorrow,  says : — 

"Within  a  chamber,  dull  and  dim, 

A  pale,  wan  woman  waits  in  vain 
Through  the  long  anxious  hours  for  him, 

Away.     In  want  and  wasting  pain, 
A  babe  upon  her  knee  is  pining; 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OP  JOHN  B.  GOUGE.     187 

Its  winning  smiles  all  scared  away; — • 
She  almost  hopes  the  sun's  next  ray 

May  on  its  calm,  cold  corse  be  shining. 

Poor  watcher!     He  comes  not;  she  dreams, 

Perchance,  of  her  old  home;  and  now, — 

Upstarting  with  a  livid  brow, — 

Clasps  the  babe  closer  to  her  breast, — 
That  dying  child,  yet  loved  the  best." 

But,  lo!  a  marvelous  change  has  been  effected. 
One  evening  when  she  was  thus  watching,  her  hus- 
band came  home  in  a  miserable  state  of  intoxication. 
She  bore  all  his  ill-humor, — ay,  even  his  brutality, — and 
tended  him  and  cared  for  him,  as  only  a  woman  can. 
Morning  came,  and  still  the  half-stupefied  drunkard 
lay  on  his  bed ;  but  that  day,  salvation,  in  a  temporal, 
if  not  in  a  higher  and  better  sense,  came  to  his  house. 
The  white-robed  angel,  temperance,  went  there  an 
unbidden  guest;  kind  words  were  spoken, — encour- 
agement was  afforded, — the  pledge  was  signed, — the 
fetters  were  broken!  Oh,  what  a  change!  Smiles 
once  more  beamed  on  the  wife's  brow,  and  the  home 
became  a  home  indeed. 

Look  at  that  man  in  the  crowd,  who  is  shouting 
with  all  his  might,  after  the  speaker  has  uttered  some 
remark  which  makes  the  old  "  Cradle  "  ring  again  with 
applause;  his  eye  is  bright,  his  complexion  is  clear, 
his  step  is  firm,  and  his  hand  is  steady.  A  cheerful 
looking  woman  is  leaning  on  his  arm,  and  well-dressed ; 
cleanly  children  are  by  them  (the  youngest  is  in  its 
father's  arms,  crowing  and  bawling  with  the  best  of 
them).  Can  that  be  the  man  who  heralded  in  the 
year  with  intemperate  glee?  and  that  the  woman  who 
sat  desolate  indeed  in  her  wretched  garret?  and  those 
the  children  who  were  ragged  and  miserable?  Yes! 


188     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

and  temperance  wrought  the  change.  Oh,  there  were 
many  such  trophies  of  its  peaceful  conquests  in  Fan- 
euil  Hall  that  night! 

And  I  had  my  recollections,  too,  as  I  stood  on  that 
platform.  What  had  I  been,  two  years  before  ?  Why, 
a  houseless,  homeless  inebriate  !  Penniless,  friendless, 
and  almost  hopeless !  Little  recked  I  how  the  days, 
months,  and  years  rolled  on ;  I  seized  the  winged  mo- 
ments as  they  passed,  and  plunged  them  into  the 
maddening  bowl.  A  comic  song  was  my  Christmas 
carol.  The  old  year  was  dispatched  with  a  Bacchana- 
lian glee,  and  the  new  one  hailed  with  uproarious 
mirth.  I  scarcely  took  "  note  of  time,"  even  from  its 
loss ;  but  by  the  grace  of  God  a  change  had  been  ef- 
fected, and  there  I  stood,  on  the  last  evening  of  eight- 
een hundred  and  forty-four,  a  humble  monument  of  His 
mercy,  feeling,  as  I  trust  I  ever  shall  feel,  that  out  of 
my  utter  weakness,  He  had  in  me  perfected  strength 
to  stand  up  and  be  privileged  to  warn  others  of  the 
dangers  of  indulging  in  that  which  intoxicates. 

Having  received  application  and  made  an  engage- 
ment to  lecture  in  Philadelphia,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Pennsylvania  State  Temperance  Society,  and 
the  direction  of  Leonard  Jewell,  Esq.,  I  proceeded  to 
that  city,  and  by  Mr.  Jewell's  judicious  arrangement 
was  enabled  to  fill  a  very  pleasant  engagement.  And 
I  have  continued  to  visit  the  city  of  "brotherly  love" 
from  that  time  to  this,  with  very  great  satisfaction, 
and  number  as  many  and  as  true  friends  there  as  in 
any  city  in  the  Union.  I  delivered  my  first  address 
on  Sunday  evening,  the  5th  of  January,  at  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Ide's  First  Baptist  Church,  to  a  large  audience; 
several  placed  their  names  on  the  pledge.  On  the 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     189 

Monday  following,  I  spoke  at  the  Rev.  Mr.  Stockton's 
church,  but  felt  great  difficulty  in  doing  so,  having 
taken  a  severe  cold  on  my  journey.  My  next  ad- 
dress was  given  at  the  Rev.  Albert  Barnes'  church, 
Washington  Square,  the  largest  in  Philadelphia;  it 
was  crowded.  Dr.  Ely's  church,  in  Buttonwood  street, 
was  open  for  me  next  evening;  here  again  was  a 
crowded  congregation.  My  cold  had  now  become  so 
troublesome,  that  I  announced  I  should  not  speak  on 
the  morrow;  but,  wThen  the  next  evening  arrived, 
several  gentlemen  so  earnestly  desired  me  to  attend 
at  Dr.  Wiley's  church,  that  I  complied  with  their  re- 
quest, and,  although  suffering  much  from  cold,  spoke 
for  about  an  hour.  On  the  following  Sunday  evening, 
I  addressed  the  medical  students  who  were  in  Phila- 
delphia, attending  lectures  at  the  various  medical 
schools,  at  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lord's  church.  In  the  after- 
noon of  the  day,  I  spoke  to  a  large  concourse  of  Sab- 
bath-school children,  in  Mr.  Barnes'  church,  which,  as 
well  as  Mr.  Lord's  church  in  the  evening,  was  crowded 
to  excess. 

On  Monday  evening,  the  13th,  there  was  an  im- 
mense meeting  in  the  saloon  of  the  Chinese  Museum. 
Some  idea  of  the  enthusiasm  which  the  cause  excited, 
may  be  formed  from  a  knowledge  of  the  fact  that 
two  thousand  three  hundred  tickets  of  admission,  at 
twenty-five  cents  each,  were  sold,  and  that  hundreds 
were  unable  to  obtain  admission.  I  spoke  at  this 
meeting,  and  much  good  seemed  to  be  effected.  The 
next  day,  I  addressed  a  very  large  audience  at  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Mason's  Methodist  Church.  On  Wednesday 
afternoon, — as  many  aged  persons  and  invalids,  who 
could  not  get  out  in  the  evening,  had  expressed  a  de- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF  JOHN   B.  GOUGH. 

sire  to  hear  me, — I  gave  an  address  in  Dr.  McDowell's 
church,  which  was  crowded.  That  afternoon  two 
hundred  and  sixty  persons  signed  the  pledge.  On 
Thursday  evening,  the  16th,  the  upper  saloon  of  the 
Chinese  Museum  was  filled  to  overflowing,  at  twenty- 
five  cents  per  ticket,  half  of  the  proceeds  being  given 
to  the  poor.  I  shall  never  forget  the  kindness  with 
which  I  was  treated,  and  the  encouragement  I  received 
in  Philadelphia  from  Rev.  John  Chambers,  and  many 
other  true  friends  of  the  temperance  cause. 

After  leaving  Philadelphia,  I  visited  and  spoke  at 
Newark,  in  Dr.  Eddy's  church,  and  then  proceeded  to 
New  York.  On  this  occasion,  myself  and  wife  visited 
G.  C.  Ripley,  Esq.,  at  Brooklyn,  and  enjoyed  some  de- 
lightful intercourse  with  him  and  his  family,  as  well  as 
with  our  kind  friend,  Mr.  Hurlbut,  at  whose  house  I 
remained  during  a  former  visit. 

At  New  York,  I  spoke  on  Sunday,  the  19th,  in  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Smith's  church,  Rivington  Street ;  on  Mon- 
day, at  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mason's,  in  Broome  Street.  .  On 
Tuesday,  I  accompanied  Mr.  Hurlbut  and  Mr.  Ripley 
to  Jamaica,  where  I  spoke  and  enjoyed  a  pleasant 
season.  On  the  morning  of  the  22d,  I  accompanied 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Marsh  to  the  State  Convention  at  Tren- 
ton, and  spoke  before  the  Legislature  in  the  evening. 
The  next  day,  I  went  to  New  Brunswick,  and,  after 
speaking  at  Dr.  Richard's  church,-obtained  eighty-five 
names  to  the  pledge,  and  returned  to  Brooklyn  next 
day. 

I  next  visited  Patterson,  and  spoke  there  on  Sun- 
day evening ;  two  hundred  names  were  affixed  to  the 
pledge.  On  my  return  to  New  York,  I  spoke  at  Dr. 
Skinner's  church,  more  especially  to  the  ladies,  many 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OP  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     191 

of  whom  signed  the  pledge.  On  the  evening  of  Tues- 
day, the  28th,  I  delivered  an  address  for  the  benefit  of 
the  Orphan  Asylum,  Brooklyn ;  and  the  same  evening 
spoke  for  a  short  time  at  the  Broadway  Tabernacle. 

I  afterwards  delivered  two  farewell  addresses,  one 
at  the  New  York  Tabernacle,  and  the  other  at  Brook- 
lyn, and  left  for  Boston  on  the  last  day  of  January. 
On  Sunday  evening,  February  2d,  I  spoke  at  the 
Odeon ;  at  the  upper  town  hall,  Worcester,  on  Mon- 
day, the  3d ;  at  the  State  House,  before  the  Legisla- 
ture, on  Wednesday,  the  5th ;  and  at  Faneuil  Hall  on 
the  6th.  On  the  7th,  I  visited  Concord,  and  gave  an 
address  at  the  opening  of  Shephard's  temperance 
house  there.  On  the  evening  of  Sunday,  the  9th,  I 
spoke  to  a  very  full  audience  at  the  Tremont  Temple, 
and  bade  them  farewell  for  some  months. 

I  spent  several  days  in  Virginia,  speaking  at  Rich- 
mond. Returning,  I  continued,  without  intermission, 
my  work  in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Connecticut,  Mass- 
achusetts, New  Hampshire,  and  Rhode  Island.  I  first 
visited  Princeton  on  March  26th,  of  this  year  (1845), 
and  there  met  Theodore  L.  Cuyler,  then  a  theological 
student.  A  friendship  was  formed  that  has  lasted, 
Without  a  ripple  of  distrust  or  the  lightest  breath  of 
suspicion,  from  that  day  to  this,  and  I  trust  will  con- 
tinue to  all  eternity.  During  this  summer  many  in- 
cidents occurred,  interesting  to  me,  but  not  particu- 
larly so  to  others;  and  I  pass  them  by. 

As  I  commenced  with  the  introduction  to  my  origi- 
nal autobiography,  I  will  here  insert — before  I  pass  to 
my  personal  experiences  of  the  next  few  months — 
the  concluding  paragraphs  of  that  work;  as  I  there 
defined  my  position,  from  which  I  have  never  seen 


192     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

occasion    to  swerve,   as    time    and  experience  have 
only  convinced  me  that  I  held  the  true  ground. 

Before  I  bid  the  reader  farewell, — and  it  is  high  time  that  I  should  do 
so,  having  been  so  long  "harping  on  one  string," — I  have  but  a  few  re- 
marks to  make,  which  I  trust  will  be  received  in  the  spirit  in  which 
they  are  offered. 

And,  first,  I  would  advert  to  a  statement  which  has  been  made  by 
certain  parties,  that  I  am  no  Washingtonian.  Now,  for  what  object 
such  assertions  have  been  industriously  put  forth,  I  am  at  a  loss  to  de- 
termine ;  but  that  such  is  the  case  I  have  been  assured.  In  reply  to 
the  charge, — if  charge  it  be, — I  answer,  that  ever  since  I  have  been  the 
public  advocate  of  the  temperance  cause,  I  have  enforced,  as  strongly 
as  I  possibly  could,  the  necessity  and  policy  of  observing  the  law  of 
kindness  towards  the  unfortunate  persons  who  have  become  the  victims 
of  intemperance.  I  have  advocated  moral  suasion  alone,  and  in  its 
fullest  extent,  too,  in  the  case  of  the  drunkard.  But  with  respect  to 
the  rum-seller,  who  sells  that  which  causes  his  fellow-man  to  become  an 
inebriate ;  who,  for  the  sake  of  acquiring  wealth,  places  within  a  man's 
reach  that  which  disqualifies  him  for  exercising  the  reason  with  which 
his  Maker  endowed  him,  and  reduces  him  to  a  grade  far  below  the  level 
of  the  beasts  that  perish ;  who  sells  him  that  which  unfits  him  for  dis- 
charging the  duties  of  a  man  and  a  citizen  towards  his  family  and  his 
country, — I  say,  with  respect  to  such  a  man, — who,  when  the  startling 
truths  of  the  case  are  pressed  home  to  his  heart  and  conscience,  still 
persists  in  poisoning  the  streams  of  society,  at  their  very  fountain-head, — 
that  different  and  more  stringent  measures  should  be  adopted. 

In  my  opinion, — and  I  say  it  in  all  love  to  the  rum-seller  himself, — he 
should  be  prevented  by  the  strong  arm  of  the  law  from  endangering, 
from  merely  mercenary  motives,  the  peace,  the  prosperity,  and  the 
morals  of  the  community  at  large.  I  will  labor  heart  and  hand  with 
my  fellow-men,  in  the  attempt  to  rid  our  land  of  the  monster,  intemper- 
ance. Let  those  who  advocate  moral  suasion  alone,  go  only  a  part  of 
the  way  with  me  in  the  crusade  against  it,  if  they  will.  As  surely  as 
effect  follows  cause,  so  certainly  would  drunkenness  diminish  and  dis- 
appear altogether,  if  there  were  no  drunkard-makers.  My  motto  is, 
"Reform  it  altogether."  Annihilate  the  traffic,  and  then,  temptation 
removed,  the  poor  inebriate  would  have  no  enemy  left  to  vanquish,  and 
be  free  indeed. 

If  this  be — as  I  believe  it  to  be — a  fair  exposition  of  the  Washing- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     193 

tonian  creed,  then  am  I  a  Washingtonian.  But  still  my  own  convic- 
tion remains,  that  moral  suasion  alone  for  the  rum-seller,  would  be  as 
useless  in  the  effort  to  remove  drunkenness  as  it  would  be  ridiculous  to 
attempt  to  empty  the  ocean  drop  by  drop.  These  are  precisely  my 
views  to-day,  and  ever  have  been. 

In  my  narrative  I  have  frequently  adverted  to  the  kindness  of 
friends;  some,  in  my  days  of  adversity,  showed  me  favors  which  I 
never  shall  forget  while  my  heart  continues  to  beat.  It  has  been  my 
happiness  and  privilege  to  be  enabled  to  cancel  every  obligation  which 
I  contracted,  so  far  as  pecuniary  matters  are  concerned ;  but  the  debt 
of  gratitude  which  I  incurred  in  more  than  one  instance,  never  can  be 
repaid.  To  each  and  all  who  befriended  me  when  there  existed  no 
earthly  prospect  of  their  kindness  being  requited,  I  shall  ever  feej. 
indebted. 

To  the  press  of  Boston,  and  of  the  country  generally,  I  am  under 
large  and  lasting  obligations,  for  the  kind  and  indulgent  manner  in 
which  my  name  has  been  so  often  mentioned;  and  I  cannot  suffer  this 
opportunity  of  thanking  the  members  of  it,  to  pass  by  unheeded. 

And  now,  in  reviewing  all  the  ways  in  which  the  Lord  hath  led  me, 
I  feel,  and  would  express,  how  much  I  owe  to  Him,  by  whose  grace  "I 
am  what  I  am."  Left  alone  and  unprotected  in  a  stranger  land,  He 
watched  my  footsteps  and  inclined  my  heart,  in  some  degeee,  to  seek 
His  face  and  favor;  but  mysterious  are  the  dealings  of  His  providence. 
I  was  left  to  myself.  Temptation  assailed  me,  and  I  fell, — oh,  how 
low !  Misery  was  my  constant  companion  for  many  months;  but  deeply 
as  I  had  sunk  in  the  estimation  of  the  world,  One  still  watched  my  foot- 
steps, and  preserved  me  from  ruin,  when  trembling  on  the  very  verge 
of  destruction.  Then  was  His  hand  outstretched  to  save  me,  and  life 
again  seemed  enlightened  by  God's  approving  smile.  But  I  depended 
for  support  upon  an  arm  of  flesh, — on  a  broken  reed;  and  the  Almighty, 
in  His  infinite  wisdom,  saw  fit  to  humble  me  into  the  very  dust.  He 
showed  me  that,  without  strength  from  on  high,  I  was  unequal  to  the 
conflict;  and  in  the  school  of  affliction,  I  trust  He  taught  me  how 
feeble  were  my  resolves,  and  how  fruitless  my  endeavors,  while  I  built 
my  hopes  upon  aught  below  the  skies. 

In  my  violation  of  the  solemn  pledge  I  feel  a  humble  consciousness 
that  He  who  doeth  all  things  well,  saw  fit  to  abase  me,  in  order  that 
every  reliance  on  self  might  be  scattered  to  the  winds,  and  my  feet 
placed  upon  the  "  rock  of  ages,"  so  that  my  goings  might  be  estab- 


194     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN"  B.  GOUGH. 

listed.  I  had  failed  to  acknowledge  Him  in  all  my  ways,  and  His 
hand  mercifully  interposed  to  check  the  growth  of  those  seeds  of  pride 
and  worldly  wisdom  which  had  begun  to  germinate  and  already  threat- 
ened to  choke  the  good  seed  which  His  grace  had  implanted.  I  trust 
that  I  recognized  in  this  trial,  the  dealings  of  a  merciful  Father's  hand  ; 
and  it  is  my  fervent  hope  that,  with  whatever  success  He  may  be  pleased 
to  crown  my  labors,  His  may  be  all  the  glory.  I  would  disclaim  all 
power  in  and  of  myself,  and  desire  earnestly  the  influences  of  His  Holy 
Spirit,  without  which  I  feel  I  can  do  nothing. 

A  few  words,  and  I  have  done.  This  book  may  fall  into  the  hands 
of  young  persons  and  Sabbath-school  children.  Oh,  may  it  serve  as  a 
warning  to  young  men!  If  they  would  be  honorable,  useful,  and 
happy,  I  conjure  them,  by  all  that  is  holy,  virtuous,  and"  even  what 
we  call  respectable,  to  "tarry  not  at  the  wine."  God  forbid  that  they 
should  learn  experience  in  the  bitter  school  in  which  I  was  a  scholar, 
and  from  which  I  was  plucked  as  a  "brand  from  the  burning."  I  have 
not  written  these  pages  for  the  mere  purpose'  of  gratifying  curiosity;  a 
higher  motive  has,  I  trust,  influenced  me ;  and  oh,  how  happy  should  I 
be,  in  hearing,  at  some  future  period,  that  only  one  young  man  had 
been  arrested  in  his  fatal  career.  My  hope  is  that  this  book  will  be 
useful.  And  if  the  blessing  of  God  should  follow  a  perusal  of  it,  in 
but  one  case,  I  shall  have  reason  for  thankfulness  that  I  penned  it, 
through  all  eternity. 

Let  Sabbath-school  children  remember,  that  I,  like  them,  once  list- 
ened to  the  kind  instructions  of  a  teacher  (whom  sixteen  years  after  I 
accidentally  met  in  Brooklyn,  at  a  friend's  house).  Had  an  opportunity 
then  been  given  me  of  signing  the  temperance  pledge,  the  misery  of  a 
drunkard's  feelings  would,  most  probably,  have  been  spared  me.  Let 
every  child  fed  that,  by  signing  that  pledge,  he  cannot,  if  he  sacredly 
adheres  to  it,  ever  become  intoxicated.  I  pray  God,  that  no  Sabbath 
scholar,  who  reads  my  narrative,  will  ever  feel  in  their  own  persons  or 
experience,  what  it  has  been  mine  to  endure.  I  shall  now  lay  down 
my  pen,  humbly  relying  for  aid  in  my  future  endeavors  to  stem  the  tide 
of  intemperance,  on  Him,  without  whom  all  human  effort  is  vain,  and  in 
whose  strength  we  may  fearlessly  go  forth  to  wage  an  exterminating 
was  against  all  that  is  opposed  to  the  coming  of  His  glorious  kingdom. 


CHAPTER  XIH. 

Enmity  to  the  Cause  of  Temperance — Accusations — Traps — Threaten- 
ing Letters — A  Public  Slander — Extract  from  Journal — Apology — 
Old  Debts — Epithets — Charge  of  Drinking — Statement — Church  Re- 
port— My  Own  Convictions — Kindness  of  Friends. 

THIS  year  (1845)  was  destined  to  be  a  severely  try- 
ing and  fearful  one  for  me,  and  as  I  approach  the 
history  of  the  unfortunate  calamity  of  the  5th  of 
September,  I  involuntarily  draw  back  with  a  shudder. 
In  examining  my  scrap-book  for  the  comments  of  the 
public  press,  I  seem  to  live  it  all  over  again, — the 
distress,  the  agony  of  the  terrible  ordeal  through 
which  I  passed.  No  apology  is  needed  for  introduc- 
ing the  subject  here,  as  it  is  a  part  of  my  personal 
recollections, — and  bitter  they  are ;  yet  at  this  time, 
looking  over  the  long  stretch  of  twenty-five  years,  I 
deem  it  but  just  to  myself,  that  some  statements 
should  be  made,  which  I  think,  looking  calmly  at  the 
whole  matter  now,  bear  somewhat  on  the  mystery 
that  surrounded  that  transaction,  and  which,  probably, 
will  never  be  satisfactorily  cleared  up  in  this  world. 

It  Can  hardly  be  supposed  that  I  should  have 
labored  in  the  cause  of  temperance,  warring  against 
appetite,  interest,  old  established  customs,  and  touch- 
ing men's  prejudices,  without  exciting  enmity.  This 
enmity  was  developed  at  a  very  early  stage  of  my 
public  labor.  I  had  been  accused  of  repeatedly  break- 


196     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

ing  my  pledge ;  and  when  on  my  return  from  my 
Western  tour,  in  1844,  I  made  a  speech,  in  which  I 
was  reported  to  have  said,  that  "  Washingtonianism 
was  dead,  that  infidelity  had  killed  it,  and  that  it  was 
powerless  as  an  engine  for  the  promotion  of  temper- 
ance,"— a  very  severe  article  appeared  in  a  temper- 
ance paper,  accusing  me,  indirectly,  of  being  the  tool 
of  others  in  attacking  Washingtonianism, — the  main 
principle  of  which  was  moral  suasion,  pure  and  en- 
tire, forbidding  all  recourse  to  law.  I  replied  by  a 
note,  that  the  statement  was  made  to  me,  by  a  gen- 
tleman, in  reference  to  the  cause  in  Western  New 
York.  That  seemed  to  settle  the  matter  for  a  time; 
but  I  was  soon  called  to  account  for  introducing  or- 
thodoxy in  temperance  lectures;  soon  after,  a  certain 
class  of  persons  arrayed  themselves  against  me,  nor 
do  I  deny  them  the  right  to  do  so.  Every  man  has 
a  right  to  his  own  opinion,  and  an  equal  right  to  ex- 
press it.  The  most  bitter  opposition  I  experienced 
at  this  time,  was  from  a  certain  class  of  liquor  sellers, 
some  of  whom  threatened  me.  Traps  were  laid  for 
me.  I  narrowly  escaped  being  drawn  into  an  im- 
proper place,  by  a  letter  purporting  to  come  from  a 
heart-broken  mother,  requesting  me  to  call  and  see 
her  son. 

I  have  in  my  possession  threatening  letters;  one 
man  declared  that  "a  ring  was  being  prepared  for  my 
nose,"  and  curses  loud  and  deep  were  hurled  at  me. 
On  one  occasion  I  had  offended  a  man  in  Norwich,  by 
relating  a  fact  told  me  by  the  mother  of  a  young 
man  he  had  tempted  to  his  ruin  and  death;  and  this 
man  followed  me  for  several  days,  declaring  he  would 
have  my  life,  if  he  had  to  wait  ten  years. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     197 

There  were  constant  reports  of  my  drinking  to  in- 
toxication ;  and  as  I  look  over  the  records,  I  am  as- 
tonished at  the  epithets  hurled  at  me, — "hypocrite," 
"  liar,"  "  swindler,"  "  drunkard,"  and  worse ;  these 
things  were  very  hard  to  bear,  and  my  accusers  grew 
bolder,  till  at  length  a  statement  was  publicly  made 
by  a  man  of  position,  and  I  determined  to  put  a  stop 
to  this  wholesale  slandering,  by  the  aid  of  the  law; 
and  I  give  an  article,  from  the  "Boston  Mercantile 
Journal"  of  May  10th,  1845,  which  will  explain  the 
whole  case.  I  omit  name  of  the  place  and  persons. 

A  BASE   SLANDER  RETRACTED. 

The  able  and  worthy  temperance  lecturer,  John  B.  Gough,  recently 
visited  N.,  and  delivered  a  temperance  lecture  there  on  Monday  evening, 
which  was  listened  to  with  much  interest  by  a  large  audience,  and  pro- 
duced an  excellent  effect.  Mr.  Gough  quietly  returned  to  the  city  on 
Tuesday,  and  must  have  been  electrified  on  the  following  day  to  learn 
from  friends  in  N.  that  a  story  had  been  generally  circulated  in  that 
town  seriously  injuring  his  character  as  an  advocate  of  total  abstinence ; 
and,  if  true,  would  justly  deprive  him  of  the  confidence  and  respect  of  all 
good  men.  It  was  stated,  on  the  authority  of  Mr.  D.  and  his  son,  who 
kept  a  refreshment  shop  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  depot,  that  Mr.  Gough, 
on  the  morning  ere  he  left  N.,  came  into  his  shop  and  called  for  a  glass  of 
strong  beer,  and  drank  it  there.  This  statement,  coming  from  so  direct  a 
source,  was  soon  generally  circulated,  and  as  Mr.  D.  was  a  professedly  pious 
man,  was,  of  course,  calculated  to  make  the  true  friends  of  temperance  feel 
anxious, — as,  if  true,  it  would  show  that  Mr.  Gough  was  unworthy  of  their 
confidence ;  and,  if  false,  the  lie  should  be  contradicted  before  his  influ- 
ence could  be  diminished.  Mr.  Gough  has  suffered  much  from  the  arrows 
of  detraction.  No  means  have  been  left  untried,  on  the  part  of  his  ene- 
mies, to  ruin  his  character  and  destroy  his  usefulness;  and,  conscious  of 
his  innocence,  he  determined  to  prosecute  the  matter  to  the  bottom.  He 
has  done  this,  and  the  result  may  be  seen  in  the  following  apology  from 
the  individual  who  first  gave  circulation  to  the  calumniating  story : — 

APOLOGY. 

I,  J.  I.  D.,  having  propagated  a  report  respecting  Mr.  John  B.  Gough  of 
Boston,  to  the  effect  that  he  (Mr.  Gough)  drank  strong  beer  at  my  store  at  N., 
13 


198     AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

on  the  ()th  of  May  instant,  I  desire  to  fully  retract  the  same,  and  to  apologize 
for  the  course  I  have  taken,  and  to  expressly  state  that  Mr.  Gough  never  was 
in  my  store ;  that  I  must  have  known  it,  if  such  had  been  the  case,  I  having 
seen  and  heard  Mr.  Gough  lecture  on  the  previous  evening.  And  I  hereby 
return  my  thanks  to  Mr.  Gough  for  his  consenting  to  forego  the  legal  proceed- 
ings which  he  had  instituted  against  me.  [Signed]  J.  I.  D. 

N ,  May  9,  1845. 

Witnesses,     D.  D.  of  N. 

J.  D.  K.  of  B. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  state  that  Mr.  D.  was  willing  to  defray  the 
expenses  of  all  the  incipient  legal  proceedings  which  had  been  taken  in 
the  matter,  amounting  to  fifty  dollars.  And  we  learn,  with  much 
satisfaction,  that  Mr.  Gough  is  now  determined  to  adopt  the  advice  of 
his  friends ;  and  in  all  attempts  to  blacken  his  character,  or  accusations 
for  having  violated  his  pledge  since  he  signed  it,  on  the  1st  of  May, 
1 843,  he  is  determined  to  shield  himself  behind  the  laws  of  the  country, 
which  will  ever  present  an  aegis  against  the  arrows  of  calumny.  There 
is  no  character  more  detestable,  cowardly,  or  dangerous,  than  that  of  a 
slanderer.  He  is  a  "  walking  pestilence  that  doth  infect  the  wind." 

This  seemed  to  still  the  voice  of  calumny  for  a 
•while;  but  in  the  mean-time  a,  report  was  in  circula- 
tion that  I  refused  to  pay  my  debts  in  New  bury  port, 
where  I  had  lived  some  six  years  before.  To  put  a 
stop  to  this,  I  inserted  the  following  notice  in  the 
"  Newburyport  Herald  : " — 

NOTICE. 

To  all  whom  it  may  concern.  Having  heard  that  it  has  been  stated 
in  the  town  of  Newburyport  that  various  persons  there  have  accounts 
against  me,  and  as  I  am  not  aware  that  such  is  the  case, — I  having  on 
various  occasions  made  a  public  request  that  all  claims  against  me 
should  be  sent  in  for  settlement, — this  is  to  give  notice,  that  I  shall  be 
at  Mr.  John  G.  Tilton's  bookstore,  in  Newburyport,  on  Wednesday,  May 
15th ;  when  I  shall  be  prepared  to  pay  any  legal  demand  which  may  be 
had  against  me,  and,  as  I  have  in  more  than  one  instance  paid  debts 
twice,  I  shall  require  full  proof  of  each  and  every  claim. 

Boston,  May  9,  1845.  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

I  accordingly  went  to  Newburyport  and  examined 
every  claim  against  me ;  for  some  of  them  I  had  re- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     199 

ceipts,  and  all  that  I  considered  genuine,  I  paid.  It 
must  be  remembered  that  at  this  time  I  was  strug- 
gling to  free  myself  of  debt,  and  accomplishing  it  as 
fast  as  I  could. 

Then,  attacks  came  on  me  that  I  was  exciting  sym- 
pathy by  whining  and  canting  about  persecution, — 
in  fact,  though  I  had  many  and  true  friends,  there 
was  a  class  of  men  who  were  wonderfully  vindictive, 
and  spared  no  pains  to  annoy  me.  My  friends  were 
really  more  anxious  than  I  was;  though  I  felt  these 
things  keenly,  I  did  not  suppose  they  would  proceed 
to  active  violence ;  and  while  many  of  my  friends 
were  really  solicitous  on  my  account,  I  dreamed  of  no 
positive  danger. 

A  pamphlet  had  been  published  by  a  reverend  gen- 
tleman of  New  York,  entitled,  "Echo  of  truth  to 
the  voice  of  slander,"  accusing  me  of  slandering  the 
family  who  brought  me  to  this  country.  I  think  he 
might  have  written  this  under  a  misapprehension, — 
and  I  know  he  was  misinformed, — but  this  pamphlet 
was  industriously  circulated,  and  caused  me  a  great 
deal  of  trouble.  I  replied  to  it,  and  that  matter  soon 
settled  down,  and  I  have  been  for  many  years  in 
correspondence  and  on  friendly  terms  with  the  family 
whom  I  was  alleged  to  have  slandered. 

I  make  no  complaint  of  severe  and  adverse  criti- 
cism. My  style,  the  subject-matter  of  my  addresses, 
my  gestures,  all  my  defects  as  a  speaker, — and  I  know 
they  are  many, — are  all  legitimate  subjects  for  criti- 
cism and  comment ;  even  my  personal  appearance  and 
dress  may  be  held  up  to  ridicule,  and  no  great  harm 
done.  I  have  been  called  a  "humbug,"  a  "theatrical 
performer,"  a  "  mountebank,"  a  "  clown,"  a  "  buf- 


200     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

foon,"  "ungraceful,"  "homely,"  "round-shouldered." 
I  have  been  accused  of  having  "crooked  legs,"  of 
"wearing  long  hair,"  of  "wearing  jewelry,"  of  having 
a  "sensual  mouth;"  my  lectures  have  been  called 
"idiotic  ravings,"  a  "rehash  of  other  people's 
thoughts,"  "balderdash,"  "insane  bellowings,"  and 
other  statements  of  like  character  too  numerous  to 
mention ;  but  none  of  these  things  troubled  me,  be- 
yond the  temporary  annoyance  that  any  man  feels  at 
expressions  of  contempt;  but  such  terms  as  "hypo- 
crite," " mercenary  scoundrel,"  "consummate  villain," 
"base  slanderer,"  "liar,"  "drunkard,"  "unchaste,"  touch 
the  moral  character. 

Those  especially  who  do  not  like  me,  have,  up  to 
the  present  time,  constantly  accused  me  of  drinking. 
I  have  often  pondered  on  this,  and  asked  why  is  it? 
It  cannot  be  because  I  am  a  public  man,  for  other 
public  men  escape  such  attacks;  other  men  strike 
heavy  blows  at  old  established,  cherished  usages,  and 
are  not  vilified  as  I  have  been.  The  documents  are 
before  me,  and  they  are  positively  frightful ;  and  were 
I  the  consummate  scoundrel  I  have  been  represented, 
I  should  contaminate  the  inmates  of  any  state  prison 
in  the  country.  The  reason  why  an  enemy  will  at 
once,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  accuse  me  of  drink- 
ing, is  that  my  early  history  is  well  known  and  will 
never  be  forgotten;  early  dissipation  will  be  connected 
with  the  name  of  John  B.  Gough  as  long  as  his  name 
is  remembered.  This  is  the  price  I  must  pay  for  the 
sins  and  errors  of  years  ago:  "Whatsoever  a  man 
soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap." 

A  long  time  ago  I  stained  and  blotted  and  marred 
many  fair  pages  in  the  book  of  my  life ;  the  stains  are 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     201 

there  now;  though  many  pages  have  been  turned 
since  then,  yet  the  book  is  for  inspection,  and  any 
man  can  turn  to  the  blotted  pages,  and  pointing  to 
them  say,  "  Behold  his  record ! "  And  what  is  more  bit- 
ter, more  stinging,  when  a  man  has  carefully  striven, 
and  is  striving,  to  live  down  the  past,  than  to  know 
that  the  record  is  read,  and  can  be  used  as  a  weapon 
for  wounding  his  tenderest  sensibilities?  Remember, 
I  do  not  complain  of  this ;  I  only  say  it  is  so, — and 
wTould  warn  the  young  man  in  the  outset  of  life :  Keep 
the  page  clean,  for  you  can  neither  seal  the  book  nor 
remove  the  stains,  and  your  sins  wrill  be  remembered 
while  you  live,  and  your  enemies  gain  a  great  advan- 
tage, at  your  cost  and  suffering.  Thank  God !  He  has 
promised  "your  sins  will  I  remember  no  more  against 
you  forever."  "I,  even  I,  am  He  that  blotteth  out 
thine  iniquities." 

I  will  now  give  the  statement,  published  twenty- 
five  years  ago;  and  after  that  lapse  of  time,  I  see  no 
reason  to  alter  or  modify  any  expression  then  used. 
For  brevity's  sake  I  will  condense  the  statement, 
retaining  all  the  facts  of  the  case.  . 

STATEMENT. 

MOUNT  PLEASANT,  ROXBURY,  MASS.,  ) 
September  22,  1845.  j 

Although  very  weak  and  worn  with  intense  suffering  in  body  and 
mind,  yet  I  will  delay  no  longer  doing  that  which  I  have  ever  intended 
as  soon  as  practicable  to  do ;  viz  ,  to  give  a  plain  statement  of  facts 
relative  to  the  unhappy  circumstances  in  which  I  have  been  placed 
within  the  past  few  weeks.  I  left  home  on  Monday,  the  1st  instant,  in 
company  with  Deacon  Grant  of  Boston,  and  Mr.  Cyrus  E.  Morse; 
spoke  in  Westborough  in  the  evening ;  went  the  next  day  to  Spring- 
field, and  on  the  3d,  attended  a  convention  at  Blandford ;  spoke 
three  times  that  day ;  spoke  twice  on  the  4th,  at  Westfield  ;  took 
leave  of  Deacon  Grant  and  lady,  and  left  in  the  morning  for  Spring- 


202     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

field,  in  company  with  Mr.  Morse, — he  to  go  to  Boston,  and  I  to  take 
the  cars  for  New  York.  I  sent  a  letter  to  my  wife  by  Mr.  Morse,  of 
which  the  following  is  an  extract:  "I  hope  to  meet  you  on  Monday 
evening.  If  I  did  not  feel  that  the  duty  of  finally  arranging  matters 
for  the  winter  demanded  my  presence  in  New  York,  I  would  come 
home  with  Cyrus ;  but  I  hope  to  spend  a  pleasant  and  profitable  Sab- 
bath in  Brooklyn.  I  shall  think  of  you,"  etc.,  etc.  My  reason  for 
going  to  New  York  was  to  make  a  final  arrangement  for  part  of  my 
time,  and  what  part  this  coming  winter.  I  was  to  be  in  Montreal  on 
the  llth  inst.  I  agreed  to  meet  my  wife  and  a  gentleman  who  was  to 
accompany  us  to  Montreal,  at  Albany,  on  Monday  evening,  September 
8th.  I  arrived  at  New  York  at  six  or  half-past  six,  on  Friday,  the 
5th  inst. ;  left  my  baggage  with  a  porter  on  board  the  boat  to  bring 
after  me,  and  walked  to  the  Croton  Hotel.  I  took  tea;  my  baggage 
arrived ;  I  procured  a  room,  went  into  it,  arranged  my  dress,  told  them 
there  that  I  was  going  to  Brooklyn,  and  might  not  return  that  night. 
I  have  always  been  made  welcome  at  my  friends  in  Brooklyn,  and  I 
knew  that  if  they  were  not  full,  I  should  be  invited  to  stay  all  night. 
About  half-past  seven  or  eight,  I  left  the  Croton,  called  at  a  store  in 
Broadway,  and  purchased  a  watch  guard ;  went  to  the  store  of  Messrs. 
Sexton  &  Miles;  stayed  there  a  few  minutes.  On  coming  out,  I  had 
not  gone  a  dozen  steps  before  I  was  accosted  by  a  man,  with,  "How  do 
you  do,  Mr.  Grough?" 

Said  I:  "You  have  the  advantage  of  me;  I  am  introduced  to  so 
many,  that  it  is  difficult  for  me  sometimes  to  recognize  them." 

Said  he:  "My  name  is  Williams, — Jonathan  Williams.  I  used 
to  work  in  the  same  shop  with  you  in  this  city,  a  good  many  years 
ago." 

I  replied  :  "I  do  not  remember  it ;  "  or  something  to  that  effect. 

He  then  said  :  "  You  have  got  into  a  new  business, — the  '  temperance 
business.'  Do  you  find  it  a  good  business?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,"  I  told  him  ;   "  I  find  it  a  very  good  business." 

Some  other  conversation  ensued,  during  which  time  we  were  walking 
slowly  together,  when  he  said  :  "I  suppose  you  are  so  pious  now,  and 
have  got  to  be  so  proud,  that  you  would  not  drink  a  glass  of  soda  with 
an  old  shopmate ! " 

"Oh,  yes,  I  would  drink  a  glass  of  soda  with  anybody;  I  will  drink 
a  glass  with  you,  if  you  will  go  in  here." 

We  were  then  opposite  to  Thompson's.  There  were,  I  should  think, 
ten  br  twelve  persons  round  the  fountain,  when  he  said:  "We  shall 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     203 

never  get  served  here;   I  know  a  place  where  we  can  get  better  soda 
than  we  can  here." 

We  then  crossed  the  street,  and  went  down  Chambers  Street  to 
Chatham  Street,  till  we  came  to  a  small  shop.  Having  no  suspicions, 
I  did  not  take  particular  notice  of  what  kind  of  a  shop  it  was ;  but  I 
saw  confectionery,  and  a  pasteboard  sign  with  "Best  Soda"  on  it. 
There  are  two  or  three  of  these  establishments  in  that  vicinity ;  owing 
to  my  weakness,  I  did  not  visit  the  place  previous  to  my  leaving  New 
York,  but  I  have  no  doubt  that  I  can  identify  the  shop  among  the 
others.  This  man  called  for  soda;  asked  me  what  syrup  I  used;  said 
he  used  raspberry, — I  am  pretty  sure  he  said  raspberry.  I  said  I 
would  take  some  of  the  same. 

The  syrup  was  poured  out,  and  the  soda  poured  into  it  from  the 
fountain.  The  fountain  was  of  a  dark  color.  This  man  took  my  glass, 
and  handed  it  to  me  with  his  hand  over  the  top  of  the  glass.  I  noticed 
his  hand,  because  I  thought  it  was  not  a  very  gentlemanly  way  of  hand- 
ing a  glass ;  however,  I  thought  no  more,  but  drank  it.  We  then  went 
into  Chambers  Street  again,  and  up  to  Broadway,  together,  when  he 
left  me.  Soon  after  he  left  me  I  felt  a  warm  sensation  about  the  lungs 
and  chest,  with  unusual  exhilaration,  and,  for  the  first  time,  I  began  to 
suspect  that  it  was  not  all  right.  This  feeling  increased,  till  I  felt 
completely  bewildered  with  the  desire  for  something,  I  know  not  what. 
I  do  not  know  that  I  ever  felt  so  strangely  in  my  life  before.  I  do  not 
know  how  long  I  walked,  but  must  have  walked  some  distance,  as  I 
have  some  recollection  of  seeing  the  new  white  church  at  the  upper  end 
of  Broadway.  During  this  time,  I  went  into  a  grocery  store  and  got 
some  brandy, — I  do  not  know  where,  or  whether  I  paid  for  it, — but 
I  recollect  drinking.  I  became,  after  a  little  while,  bewildered  and 
stupid,  and  had  wandered,  I  do  not  know  where,  when  I  saw  a  woman 
dressed  in  black.  I  either  accosted  her  or  she  accosted  me, — it  is  im- 
material which,  as  I  was  in  such  a  state  that  I  should  not  have  waited  to 
think  who  it  was.  I  do  not  remember  what  I  said ;  but  she  told  some 
gentleman,  who  went  to  make  inquiries,  that  I  asked  her  if  she  could 
give  me  a  night's  lodging,  or  tell  me  where  I  could  procure  one,  as  I 
was  without  friends,  etc.  She  took  me  into  the  house.  How  I  got  in 
I  do  not  know.  There  was  a  flight  of  stairs ;  but  I  have  no  recollec- 
tion of  going  up  those  stairs.  I  remember  nothing  distinctly  that 
passed  during  the  whole  time,  till  I  was  taken  away,  except  that  I 
drank  ;  but  what  I  drank,  or  how  much,  or  how  often,  I  know  nothing 
of.  I  have  some  idea  that  a  man  came  there  while  I  was  there;  be- 


204     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OP  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

cause  I  felt  afraid  of  him.  I  have  no  recollection  of  going  out  at  all, 
after  I  first  went  in  on  Friday  evening ;  although  it  is  said  that  I  was 
seen  on  Saturday  evening.  I  have  no  recollection  either  of  going  out 
or  coming  in ;  and  if  I  did  it,  I  don't  know  how  I  did  it.  I  have  no 
recollection  of  eating  at  all;  although  the  woman  told  that  I  did  eat, 
and  asked  a  blessing;  and  also  that  I  prayed.  I  have  no  remembrance 
of  this.  I  do  not  remember  purchasing  a  shirt,  although  I  had  a 
strange  shirt  on  me  when  I  was  taken  away. 

The  time  that  I  spent  in  that  place  seems  to  me  like  a  horrible 
dream, — a  nightmare, — a  something  that  I  cannot  describe.  I  have  so 
little  recollection  of  what  transpired,  that  when  I  came  out,  I  could  not 
tell,  for  my  life,  how  long  I  had  been  there,  and  was  astounded  when 
I  found  that  I  had  been  there  so  long.  When  Mr.  Camp  came  into  the 
house,  I  remember  that  I  felt  as  if  relief  had  come,  and  I  said  to 
him,  "Oh,  take  me  away  from  this  !  "  I  felt  glad  that  some  one  had 
come. 

He  asked  me  how  I  came  there.  I  told  him  a  man  had  put  some- 
thing in  a  glass  of  soda  which  had  crazed  me.  He  asked  me  his  name. 
I  gave  it  to  him  as  he  gave  it  to  me,  as  near  as  I  can  recollect. 
Another  man  came  in  with  Mr.  Camp;  then  Mr.  Hayes  came  in,  and 
took  me  in  a  carriage  to  Mr.  Hurlbut's  house,  where  I  received  the 
kindest  care  and  attention  during  the  most  severe  trial  of  bodily  suf- 
fering and  mental  agony  I  ever  experienced  in  my  life.  During  the 
whole  of  my  sickness  I  did  not  call  for  liquor,  nor  do  I  remember  that 
I  felt  any  desire  or  craving  for  it. 

Who  this  Jonathan  Williams  is,  I  do  not  know.  I  do  not  remember 
ever  working  with  him,  and  I  told  him  so.  I  know  not  whether  that  is 
his  right  name.  I  have  my  suspicions  that  he  came  into  the  city  the 
same  night  that  I  did,  and  left  soon  after  the  Friday  that  I  was  found ; 
and  that  the  whole  thing  was  arranged  before  he  accosted  me.  How- 
ever it  be,  I  feel  that  the  whole  matter  will  yet  be  made  plain ;  that  by 
some  means  or  other,  in  the  providence  of  God,  the  truth  of  my  state- 
ment respecting  this  man  will  be  made  as  clear  as  the  sun.  May  God 
forgive  him  for  the  wrong  he  has  done  me. 

With  regard  to  the  house  in  which  I  was  found,  it  is  said  to  be  a 
house  of  ill-fame.  I  have  understood  that  it  was  not ;  but  be  that  as 
it  may,  had  it  been  the  most  notorious  house  in  the  city,  and  I  had 
seen  one  of  its  inmates,  being  in  the  state  that  I  was  in  when  I  met 
this  woman,  I  should  have  gone  with  her.  I  had  no  intention  of  going 
to  such  a  house ;  all  I  wanted  was  rest ;  and  I  have  every  reason  to  be- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGII.  205 

lieve  that  I  should  have  asked  no  questions  or  made  no  objections  to 
any  place.  And  now,  in  view  of  the  past,  I  can  say  with  Job  :  "For 
the  thing  which  I  greatly  feared  has  come  upon  me ;  and  that  of  which 
I  was  afraid  is  come  unto  me." 

I  have  fallen  !  and,  keenly  feeling  this,  I  am  willing  to  lie  prostrate 
in  the  dust,  where  this  fall  has  put  me.  I  do  not  presume  to  say  that 
I  am  not  to  blame.  I  was  to  blame,  in  going  with  a  stranger ;  but 
when  he  spoke  of  my  being  too  proud,  I  do  not  know  but  I  would  have 
gone  anywhere  with  him.  But  still  I  was  to  blame.  I  may  be  con- 
sidered also  to  blame  for  getting  that  brandy, — giving  way  to  my  desires 
for  it;  but  if  bitter  tears  of  repentance  and  earnest  prayers  for  for- 
giveness for  that  of  which  I  might  have  been  guilty  while  under  strong 
excitement,  will  avail  through  the  mercy  of  Christ,  I  shall  be  forgiven. 

To  the  temperance  friends  I  am  willing  to  bow ;  I  am  willing  to  be 
called  the  meanest  of  all  engaged  in  the  great  cause ;  I  am  willing  to 
bear  with  meekness  their  censure.  To  my  brethren  in  the  church, — I 
am  willing  that  they  should  do  with  me  and  by  me  as  they  in  their 
judgment  may  decide ;  submitting  to  them  in  all  things,  as  they  will. 
To  those  who  may  be  prejudiced  against  me, — I  blame  you  not  for  dis- 
believing my  statement ;  I  blame  you  not  for  all  that  you  may  say 
against  me.  By  God's  help,  I  will  endeavor  so  to  live  that  you  will  re- 
spect me,  and  by  more  earnest  prayer  and  watchfulness  so  to  maintain 
my  integrity  that  I  shall  win  your  confidence.  To  those  editors  of  pa- 
pers who  have  mentioned  my  sad  case  with  sympathy  and  consideration, 
I  can  say  that  gratitude  is  a  little  word  for  my  feelings  towards  you. 

In  the  bitter  cup  there  are  some  mercy-drops :  my  life  is  spared ;  my 
reason  is  spared ;  the  hearts  of  my  friends  are  not  shut  up  against  me. 
For  these  mercies  I  trust  I  feel  thankful ;  and  whatever  may  be  my 
future  situation  in  life,  I  pray  God  that  I  may  so  live  as  to  honor  the 
profession  that  I  have  made ;  that  I  may  be  more  humble,  feel  more 
my  dependence  on  God,  and  by  His  grace  become  a  more  firm,  con- 
sistent, uncompromising  foe  to  strong  drink  in  all  its  forms,  than  I  ever 
have  been  before. 

I  might  write  much  more;  but  I  do  not  think  it  necessary. 

I  should  have  prepared  this  before,  but  wished  to  write  every  word 
myself,  and  sign  my  name.  I  have  been,  and  still  am,  very  weak  and 
feeble. 

This  is  the  only  statement  that  has  ever  been  put  forth  in  writing  by 
me,  and  I  leave  it  with  the  public.  May  God  assist  them  to  judge 
aright  in  the  matter !  J.  B.  GOUGH. 


206     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

The  Committee  of  the  Mount  Vernon  Church,  of 
which  Rev.  Dr.  E.  N.  Kirk  is  pastor,  and  where  ray 
wife  and  I  were,  and  are,  communicants,  published 
the  following — 

REPORT. 

At  a  regular  meeting  of  the  Mount  Vernon  Congregational  Church, 
Boston,  holden  at  their  chapel  on  Friday  evening,  October  31,  1845, 
the  examining  committee,  agreeably  to  their  instructions,  presented  a 
report  on  the  case  of  our  brother,  John  B.  Gough,  as  follows,  to  wit : — 

The  undersigned,  appointed  by  the  examining  committee,  September 
17,  1845,  to  investigate  the  circumstances  connected  with  the  case  of 
our  brother,  John  B.  Gough,  and  report  the  facts,  so  far  as  they  could 
ascertain  them,  to  the  church,  submit  the  following  as  the  result  of  their 
inquiries : — 

On  the  19th  of  September,  Brother  Gough  returned  to  his  residence 
in  Roxbury,  and  on  the  22d,  the  committee  had  an  interview  with  him, 
in  which  he  related  the  circumstances  of  his  case,  as  given  in  detail 
in  his  statement,  which  has  been  published,  and  which  was  read  in  the 
church-meeting,  September  26,  when,  by  a  formal  vote,  the  examining 
committee  were  instructed  to  inquire  thoroughly  into  the  case.  Since 
the  publication  of  this  statement,  more  than  a  month  ago,  the  committee 
have  improved  every  opportunity  to  elicit  facts  which  might  confirm  or 
contradict  it.  With  this  end,  New  York  has  been  visited;  where,  com- 
mencing at  the  Croton  Hotel,  by  an  interview  with  its  gentlemanly  pro- 
prietor, the  investigation  was  pursued  to  Thompson's,  where,  as  is 
represented,  they  first  stopped  for  soda ;  through  Broadway  and  Cham- 
bers Street,  to  the  shop  in  which  it  was  probably  drank;  then,  in  com- 
pany with  Officer  Hayes,  to  the  bouse  in  Walker  Street,  with  as  full 
an  examination  into  the  circumstances  of  his  connection  with  that 
dwelling,  and  his  rescue  from  it,  as  could  be  made  by  conversation 
with  the  women  who  inhabit  it,  and  the  officer  who  conveyed  him  to 
the  hospitable  mansion  of  Mr.  Hurlbut,  at  Brooklyn.  That  gentleman, 
who  so  humanely  nursed  and  sheltered  him,  made  a  minute  statement 
of  the  manner  in  which  he  was  brought  to  his  dwelling,  the  state  he 
was  in  while  there,  and  his  condition  on  leaving.  The  physician  who 
attended  him  through  his  sickness  at  Brooklyn  very  kindly  communi- 
cated his  view  of  the  case  while  under  his  care,  with  the  symptoms  of 
his  disease,  and  mode  of  treatment.  Three  or  four  other  gentlemen, 
who  had  taken  a  deep  interest  in  the  matter,  and  been  at  great  pains  to 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     207 

ascertain  the  facts,  were  called  on  and  conversed  with.  From  all  that 
could  be  gathered  in  these  various  ways,  by  an  examination  as  thorough 
and  impartial  as  could  be  made,  the  committee  are  constrained  to  be- 
lieve that  the  published  statement  of  Brother  Gough  is  a  frank  and  art- 
less declaration  of  the  truth.  This  opinion  is  confirmed  by  the  inter- 
views we  have  had  with  him  and  his  physician  during  his  sickness  at 
Roxbury. 

There  are  indeed  difficulties  in  coming  to  this  conclusion,  and  the 
case  must  yet  remain  in  some  degree  of  mystery.  Still,  the  fact  that 
an  account  of  the  affair  going  so  much  into  detail  should  have  been  so 
extensively  read  and  criticised  for  more  than  a  month,  and  that  none  of 
his  enemies  even  have  been  able  to  contradict  it  in  a  single  particular, 
is  strong  presumptive  evidence  of  its  truth. 

Assuming  then, — as  the  committee  are  prepared  to  do, — the  truth 
of  this  published  statement,  is  the  position  of  our  Brother  Gough,  as 
presented  therein,  such  a  one  as  requires  any  censure  from  the  church? 
A  man  of  more  prudence  would  have  hesitated  before  drinking  soda 
with  a  stranger ;  a  man  whose  habits  in  early  life  had  always  been  regu- 
lar and  temperate,  might  not  have  been  stimulated  to  madness  by  such  a 
libation ;  and  a  man  of  less  nervous  temperament  might  have  found 
some  lucid  moments  for  reflection  during  such  a  week  of  horrid  aberra- 
tion of  mind.  But,  in  judging  of  the  moral  character  of  the  conduct 
of  another,  our  decision  must  be  regulated  by  what  we  know  of  the 
physical  propensities  and  natural  temperament  of  his  particular  consti- 
tution. With  such  allowance,  then,  as  Christian  charity  requires  us  to 
make  on  this  score  to  all,  we  are  brought  to  the  conclusion  that  there 
has  been  nothing  in  this  unhappy  affair  which  ought  to  affect  the  stand- 
ing of  our  Brother  Gough  as  a  member  of  the  Church  of  Christ.  His 
apparent  remorse,  and  earnest  prayer  for  forgiveness  for  that  of  which 
he  might  have  been  guilty  while  under  strong  excitement,  are  not  in- 
consistent, we  think,  with  the  idea  that  he  is  free  from  voluntary  crime 
in  the  matter.  To  have  fallen  by  any  means  from  the  enviable  position 
in  which  Brother  Gough  stood  before  the  public  previous  to  this  occur- 
rence, might  have  involved  in  the  deepest  humiliation  a  mind  less  sen- 
sitive than  his.  To  awake,  as  from  a  nightmare,  with  a  vague  recollec- 
tion of  having  passed  through  scenes  which,  in  former  days,  had  been 
connected  with  guilt  and  shame,  would  naturally  inflict  upon  any  tender 
conscience  the  sting  of  remorse. 

In  conclusion,  the  committee  are  of  the  opinion  that  no  action  of  the 
church  is  demanded  in  relation  to  the  matter;  and  they  commend  to 


208     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

the  continued  confidence  and  sympathy  of  his  brethren,  one  whom  God 
has  heretofore  honored  as  an  instrument  of  doing  much  to  -withstand 
the  progress  of  sin,  and  who  now  has  been  permitted  to  fall  into  fiery 
trials  which,  we  trust,  may  but  fit  him  more  perfectly  to  serve  his  Mas- 
ter on  earth  or  in  heaven.  DANIEL  S AFFORD. 

JULIUS  A.  PALMER. 

BOSTON,  October  29,  1845. 

The  above  report  having  been  read,  was,  by  an  unanimous  vote,  ac- 
cepted, and  the  clerk  directed  to  furnish  Mr.  Gough  with  an  attested  copy. 
A  true  copy, — Attest,  ALBERT  HOBART,  Clerk. 

This  is  the  painful  record  which  I  should  have  been 
glad  to  omit,  and,  consulting  my  own  feelings,  would 
desire  that  the  waters  of  oblivion  should  roll  over  the 
whole  transaction.  Not  that  I  condemn  myself  for 
any  willful  wrong-doing.  I  can  truly  say,  at  this  dis- 
tance of  time,  that  I  do  not  consider  I  was  guilty  of 
any  moral  obliquity.  I  know  others  may  have  judged 
and  will  judge  differently;  but  1,  knowing  all  the 
facts,  and  suffering  all  the  consequences,  will  not  con- 
fess guilt  such  as  many  attributed  to  me.  My  error 
was  want  of  caution  in  not  heeding  the  warning  of 
friends,  and  the  threats  of  enemies,  who — I  can  prove 
— boasted  openly  that  they  would  trap  me  yet;  and 
in  accompanying  a  stranger,  as  I  did.  But  I  must 
acknowledge  that  I  had  no  conception  men  could 
prove  so  devilish  in  their  malice.  The  record  is  made 
permanent;  there  let  it  stand;  and  with  it,  my  pro- 
test against  condemnation.  I  therefore  offer  no  ex- 
cuses. But  I  must  here  say,  that,  as  I  look  over  the 
book  containing  letters  I  received  at  that  time,  so  full 
of  Christian  tenderness  and  loving  sympathy,  my 
eyes  fill,  and  my  heart  swells  with  gratitude  and  love 
to  the  many,  the  very  many,  of  the  good,  the  noble, 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     209 

the  true,  who  sheltered  me  in  that  day  of  tempest; 
defended  ine  in  that  day  of  terrible  attack;  gave  me 
their  sympathy,  more  precious  than  water  to  a  thirsty 
soul.  I  cannot  enumerate  them;  but  will  say  that 
now,  with  twenty-five  years  stretching  between  that 
time  and  this,  not  one  of  them  is  forgotten;  and  I 
remember  that  not  a  cup  of  cold  water  given  in  His 
name,  shall  lose  its  reward. 

And  thus,  filled  with  gratitude,  I  turn  away  from 
the  recollection  of  the  fierce  and  unmerciful  on- 
slaught made  on  me  at  that  time,  by  those  who  be- 
lieved of  me  all  that  was  vile,  and  who  showed  me 
no  mercy.  How  George  Hurlbut,*  George  C.  Ripley, 
Rev.  T.  L.  Cuyler,  W.  H.  Dikeman,  my  own  dear  pas- 
tor (Dr.  Kirk  of  Boston),  my  church,  and  hosts  of 
others,  stood  by  me  in  the  fire,  and  comforted  me; 
how  the  press  of  the  country,  with  some  exceptions, 
either  stated  my  case  fairly,  or  defended  me, — it 
would  not  be  wise  to  enlarge  on,  or  particularize. 

But  before  I  pass  on,  I  must  place  on  record  here 
the  unfailing  devotion  of  one,  whose  faith  in  me  never 
wavered,  whose  confidence  was  unshaken,  whose  per- 
fect trust  was  never  dimmed  by  a  shadow  of  suspicion, 
and  from  whom  I  derived  more  comfort,  strength,  and 
encouragement,  than  from  any  other  human  source. 
How  tenderly  did  she  nurse  me,  through  the  long  ill- 
ness that  succeeded  my  rescue !  How  indignant  at 
every  fresh  attack  on  me  !  How  she  shielded  me  with 
her  fearless  and  judicious  defense,  and  comforted  me 

*  It  was  to  the  house  of  George  Hurlbut,  in  Brooklyn,  that  I  was  taken  from 
Walker  Street;  and  should  I  exhaust  the  vocabulary  of  the  English  language, 
I  could  not  find  words  to  express  my  gratitude  to  him  and  his  noble  wife,  for 
their  kind  treatment  of  me,  during  the  week  I  was  with  them.  There  are 
deeds  of  kindness  beyond  the  power  of  words  to  describe. 


210     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

by  her  loving  and  thoughtful  tenderness !  She  knew 
me,  and  trusted  me  fully,  absolutely,  perfectly ;  and 
from  that  day  to  this,  not  one  syllable  of  doubt  has 
passed  her  lips,  nor  a  thought  of  distrust  entered  her 
heart.  Had  it  not  been  so,  I  could  never  have 
fought  the  battle;  and  I  can  truly  say  that  I  owe 
much,  very  much,  of  what  good  I  have  been  able  to 
accomplish,  to  my  true,  faithful,  loving  wife. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Severe  Illness — "  Goughiana  " — Speeches  in  Boston,  Worcester,  New- 
buryport,  Dedham,  New  York,  and  Virginia — Woman  Sold — Boston 
— Return  to  Virginia — Speech  on  Liquor  Traffic — Night  Serenade — 
A  Crowd — Abolitionist — Work  Continued — Brain-Fever — Recovery 
• — News  of  my  Father — Address  to  Colored  People — Their  Singing — 
Prayers — Return  Home — Extract  from  my  Father's  Letter. 

A  LONG  and  tedious  illness  followed  these  events, 
and  for  weeks  my  life  was  despaired  of;  but  with  ten- 
der nursing,  and  the  skillful  treatment  of  Dr.  Winship, 
by  God's  blessing,  I  recovered.  During  all  this  time, 
I  received  constant  communications,  though  I  was  not 
permitted  to  see  them  in  the  worst  period  of  my  ill- 
ness ; — letters  full  of  sympathy  from  friends, — with 
some  threatening  and  scurrilous,  many  anonymous, 
and  occasionally  an  attempt  to  levy  black-mail.  This 
was  tried  several  times  on  my  friends.  The  pretence 
was  that  they  were  in  possession  of  facts  that  would 
seriously  damage  rne  with  the  public,  if  known,  and 
for  a  certain  sum  they  would  be  suppressed.  To  all 
these  attempts,  there  was  but  one  reply  from  my 
friends  and  myself: — we  want  facts;  we  are  seeking 
facts ;  let  us  have  facts.  A  man  whom  I  had  helped, 
and  for  whom  I  had  paid  money,  that  he  might  be 
carefully  nursed  during  delirium  tremens,  wrote  a 
pamphlet  entitled,  "Goughiana," — a  very  scurrilous 
affair ;  and  I  have  in  my  possession  one  of  the  letters 
which  were  written  to  him,  to  induce  him  to  do  it, 


212     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

bearing  the  writer's  name.  One  sentence  in  this  let- 
ter is:  "You  shake  Gough,  and  old  Deacon  Grant 
with  him,  out  of  their  stockings.  I  will  see  you  free 
from  all  harm,— but  I  must  not  be  known  in  the  mat- 
ter,— and  you  shall  be  wTell  paid  for  your  services." 

On  the  4th  of  December  I  was  able  to  ride  to  Bos- 
ton, to  attend  a  meeting  at  which  Rev.  Mr.  Spencer, 
from  England,  was  to  speak.  I  was  called  for,  and 
made  a  few  remarks, — the  first  words  I  had  spoken  in 
public  since  September  4th.  On  the  17th,  I  attended 
the  Bristol  County  Convention,  and  spoke  twice ;  at 
Worcester  on  the  23d ;  in  the  Tremont  Temple,  Bos- 
ton, on  the  25th  and  28th ;  Newburyport,  the  29th ; 
and  Dedham  on  the  30th ; — thus  ending  the  eventful 
and  trying  year  of  1845.  I  commenced  the  new 
year  by  a  lecture  in  Boston,  at  the  Tremont  Temple, 
on  January  1st,  as  a  farewell,  previous  to  a  Southern 
trip.  On  the  20th  of  January,  I  was  appointed  to 
speak  in  New  York,  at  the  Tabernacle.  Opposition 
was  expected,  and  slightly  manifested.  Hon.  James 
Harper  presided ;  Rev.  Dr.  Patten  introduced  me. 
The  success  of  that  meeting  was  largely  attributed  to 
the  energy  and  .judgment  of  "W.  H.  Dikeman  and  his 
family.  My  home  in  New.York  has  been  for  years 
at  their  house.  I  spoke  in  Brooklyn  and  Princeton  ; 
then  passed  on  to  Philadelphia,  where  I  held  large 
meetings  under  the  auspices  of  the  "Ladies'  Temper- 
ance Union."  At  the  first  meeting,  Rev.  Dr.  Cuyler 
opened  with  prayer,  and  Rev.  John  Chambers  intro- 
duced me.  During  my  stay  in  the  city  I  held  six 
meetings,  one  of  which  was  for  young  men,  princi- 
pally medical  students.  The  "North  American"  said 
of  it:  "It  was  one  of  the  largest  assemblages  of  men 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     213 

we  have  ever  seen  in  the  building.     There  were  be- 
tween three  and  four  thousand." 

I  could  fill  this  book  with  the  records  of  kind- 
ness shown  me  here,  and  in  other  places;  but  as 
they  would  not  be  interesting  to  the  general  reader, 
I  will  just  state  I  passed  on  through  Baltimore 
and  Washington,  to  Richmond,  having  accepted  an 
invitation  from  John  H.  Cocke,  Esq.,  of  Fluvanna 
County,  to  spend  some  weeks  in  that  State.  Our 
head-quarters  were  at  his  house  at  Seven-Islands.  I 
visited  many  towns  in  the  Old  Dominion,  speaking 
almost  constantly,  though  at  times  very  weak,  and  far 
from  being  well.  My  principal  work  was  in  Rich- 
mond, Petersburg,  Norfolk,  and  Portsmouth.  It  was 
in  Norfolk  I  first  saw  a  woman  sold.  Passing  through 
the  market,  I  saw  a  crowd  surrounding  a  middle-aged 
colored  woman,  who  stood  on  a  barrel,  the  auctioneer 
below  her.  I  stopped  to  hear :  "  Two  hundred  and 
thirty  dollars,  two-thirty;  thirty,  thirty,  going;  two- 
thirty,  going,  going, — gone!"  Yes!  there  stood  a 
woman,  one  of  God's  creatures,  a  wife  and  mother, 
with  arms  folded,  and  the  tears  silently  rolling  down 
her  cheeks,  as  she  quietly  and  meekly  turned  at  the 
bidding  of  the  gentlemen  j(?)  who  surrounded  her,  to 
show  her  arms,  her  shape,  her  breast,  her  teeth, — till 
the  sale  was  accomplished,  and  the  poor  creature 
stepped  down  from  her  position  before  the  crowd, — 
transferred  from  one  owner  to  another,  body,  mind, 
and  soul,  for  two  hundred  and  thirty  dollars.  I  turned 
to  William  Reid  and  said,  "That's  the  most  damnable 
sight  ever  seen  in  a  Christian  country."  I  was  told,  I 
must  not  say  that,  and  was  hurried  away.  All  thanks 
to  our  God  that  such  a  scene  can  never  be  witnessed 
14 


214     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

on  our  continent  again  forever!  And  let  all  the  people 
say,  Amen ! 

I  passed  on  to  Fredericksburg,  to  Washington,  and 
home,  under  engagements  to  return  to  Virginia  in 
June.  After  lecturing  in  Boston  several  times,  and 
in  other  places  in  Massachusetts,  I  returned  to  Vir- 
ginia, speaking  in  Fredericksburg  the  20th  of  June; 
then  on  to  Richmond,  en  route  for  Lynchburg,  where 
I  had  an  invitation,  signed  by  the  mayor  and  one 
hundred  citizens,  to  deliver  ten  lectures  there.  On 
Sunday  evening,  I  spoke  very  freely  on  the  liquor 
traffic,  and  on  Monday  night  about  eleven  o'clock,  I 
was  serenaded.  The  instruments  were,  a  brass  horn, 
a  tin  pan,  a  triangle,  a  piece  of  sheet  iron,  an  old  fid- 
dle; and  one  man  did  the  swearing  for  the  party. 
Looking  out  of  the  window,  I  saw  a  group  of  men, 
and  being  very  angry,  I  seized  a  tumbler  from  the 
table  and  threw  it  at  them.  Had  they  played  a  tune, 
however  execrably,  I  could  have  borne  it;  but  that 
abominable  see-saw,  tink-tink,  drove  me  almost  wild. 
I  was  kept  awake  nearly  all  night.  In  the  morning 
I  was  passing  down  the  street,  when  I  was  informed 
that  four  men  had  been  arrested  for  disturbing  the 
peace,  and  were  having  a  hearing  at  the  Court  House. 
I  went  there,  and  found  quite  an  excited  crowd.  As 
I  was  entering  the  Court  House,  a  man  addressed  me : 

"  I  want  to  see  you." 

I  said,  "You  can  see  me." 

"  Come  this  way,"  he  replied. 

I  went  down  through  the  crowd,  and  stood  just  be- 
low the  curb-stone,  he  standing  on  it.  Looking  down 
at  me,  he  asked,  "  What  did  you  throw  a  tumbler  at 
me  for  last  night  ?  " 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     215 

I  said, "Did  the  tumbler  hit  you?" 

"  That  is  nothing  to  do  with  it.  What  did  you  throw 
that  tumbler  at  me  for  ?  " 

I  asked  him,  "Where  was  you  when  the  tumbler 
was  thrown  at  you  ?  " 

"  That  is  none  of  your  business." 

"  Then  it  is  none  of  your  business  why  or  whether 
I  threw  a  tumbler  at  you." 

There  was  by  this  time  a  large  crowd  gathered 
round  mej  and  I  began  to  feel  a  little  uneasy,  when 
one  man  said,  "  Hit  him,  Harris." 

I  must  confess  that  as  I  looked  up  at  the  man  who 
stood  with  clenched  fist,  I  began  to  imagine  how  I 
should  feel  when  it  was  dashed  in  my  face ;  for  I  ex- 
pected it,  and  wished  myself  in  some  better  and 
quieter  place.  Then  I  heard:  "Tie  him  up,  and  give 
him  thirty-nine  lashes."  "Run  him  into  the  river  up 
to  his  neck."  "He's  a  d d  abolitionist." 

I  assure  you,  when  I  heard  that  "mad  dog"  cry, 
abolitionist,  uttered  against  me,  in  the  heart  of  a 
fierce  crowd,  in  the  city  of  Lynchburg,  I  was  far  from 
comfortable. 

"You  sha'n't  speak  again  here,"  said  a  fellow  in  the 
crowd. 

I  suppose  my  courage  was  like  the  rat's,  that  will 
run  if  he  can,  but  when  driven  into  a  corner,  will 
fight.  I  certainly  would  have  run  if  1  could ;  but  as 
that  was  out  of  the  question,  the  next  best  thing  was, 
to  put  as  bold  a  face  on  it  as  I  could,  so  I  said :  "  I 
shall  speak  here  again;  I  shall  lecture  in  the  Meth- 
odist Church  at  half-past  seven  this  evening,  on  the 
subject  of  temperance!" 

After  a  short  time  the  crowd  gave  way,  and  I  was 


216     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

left  free  to  go,  contrary  to  my  expectation,  without 
receiving  a  blow.  I  was  told  afterwards  that  I  had 
many  friends  in  the  crowd,  and  if  I  had  been  struck 
there  would  have  been  a  terrible  fight.  Providentially, 
there  was  no  fighting,  but  an  awful  amount  of  swear- 
ing and  threatening. 

Early  in  the  evening,  several  gentlemen  called  on 
me,  and  advised  that  I  should  go  to  the  church,  at  the 
appointed  time,  and  deliver  my  lecture.  They  were 
sorry  that  the  term  abolitionist  had  been  -connected 
with  my  name ;  but  that  I  had  better  meet  it,  and  they 
would  stand  by  me.  The  church  was  crowded,  and  I 
was  lifted  in  through  the  window.  Prayer  was  offered 
by  Rev.  "W.  A.  Smith,  D.  D.,  wrhen  I  was  introduced. 
There  was  an  evident  uneasiness  in  the  audience  as  I 
rose.  I  first  said  :  "I  wish  you  to  hear  me  patiently 
before  you  decide  what  to  do  with  me.  I  am  ready 
to  leave  your  city  to-night,  by  the  twelve  o'clock  canal- 
boat,  or  I  will  stay,  finish  the  course  of  lectures,  and 
fulfill  my  engagement.  I  was  invited  here  by  a  com- 
mittee of  your  citizens,  headed  by  the  mayor,  to  de- 
liver ten  lectures  on  temperance.  On  Sunday  night 
I  asked  for  arguments  on  the  other  side,  and  I  got 
them, — a  brass  horn,  a  tin  pan,  an  old  fiddle,  a  triangle, 
a  piece  of  sheet  iron,  and  one  man  apparently  hired 
to  swear  for  the  occasion,  and  he  did  his  work  faith- 
fully. These  arguments  were  almost  as  good  as  I  ex- 
pected to  get.  I  have  been  threatened  with  whipping, 
with  being  run  into  the  river,  with  vitriol  in  my  face, 
and  I  have  been  called  an  abolitionist.  Now,  just 
hear  me,  when  I  say  that  there  is  no  gentleman  here, 
whose  opinion  is  worth  having,  who  would  not  despise 
me  heartily  if  I  were  not.  You  all  know  I  am,  and 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     217 

you  knew  it  when  you  sent  for  me ;  but  you  engaged 
me  to  speak  on  temperance,  and  I  came  for  that  pur- 
pose. I  have  not  spoken  of  your  "  peculiar  institu- 
tion" in  public,  whatever  I  may  have  thought  of  it. 
Ton  have  introduced  the  subject,  not  I;  and  I  should 
receive  and  merit  your  contempt,  if  I  swallowed  my 
principles  and  told  a  lie  to  curry  your  favor." 

This  was  the  substance  of  my  speech,  given  amid 
the  stillness  of  the  audience.  I  concluded  by  saying : 
"Now  you  shall  decide;  shall  I  continue  my  work 
here,  or,  with  my  wife,  leave  you  to-night?" 

I  was  surprised  at  the  almost  unanimous  vote  of 
the  audience,  that  I  should  remain, — which  I.  did. 
Col.  Otey  and  his  son,  with  Mr.  Norvell  and  others, 
were  very  kind  to  me  j  and,  hearing  that  the  "  loafers  " 
from  Buzzard's  Roost  had  determined  to  serenade 
me  again,  Col.  Otey  sent  his  carriage,  and  took  us 
to  his  house  on  the  hill ;  and  it  was  six  weeks  after, 
that  we  discovered  he  had  remained  up  all  night  on 
the  piazza,  while  his  son  was  in  a  room  over  the 
front  door,  watching  for  the  "loafers," — and  we  were 
quietly  and  unconsciously  sleeping.  Had  they  come, 
we  should  probably  have  been  awakened  by  the  re- 
port of  pistols,  as  Col.  Otey  was  determined  that  they 
should  not  disturb  his  household  with  impunity.  I 
must  say,  that  I  never  experienced  anywhere,  more 
kind  hospitality,  or  more  chivalric  defense,  than  from 
my  friends  at  that  time  in  Lynchburg;  and  very 
pleasant  they  made  the  remainder  of  my  visit  to  their 
city.  I  left  them,  and  rode  twenty-five  miles  over  a 
terribly  rough  road,  to  Liberty,  in  Bedford  County, 
where,  in  three  days  after  my  arrival,  I  was  prostrated 
with  brain-fever, — principally  caused,  as  the  doctor 


218     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

said,  "by  the  strain  on  my  system  in  September  last, 
with  the  nervous  excitement  and  hard  work  of  the 
past  few  weeks." 

Again  my  life  was  in  peril,  but  I  was  treated  with 
the  greatest  kindness.  Dr.  Moseley  took  me  to  his 
own  house;  Mrs.  Otey  and  Mr.  Norvell  came  from 
Lynchburg  to  see  me,  and  everything  was  done  for 
my  comfort.  The  report  went  out  that  I  was  dead, 
and  my  wife  received  letters  of  condolence ;  but,  un- 
der the  care  of  Dr.  Moseley,  who  treated  me  like  a 
brother,  I  recovered.  (I  was  eight  weeks,  with  my 
wife,  in  his  house,  and  he  would  make  no  charge, 
either  for  medical  attendance,  or  for  any  expenses  he 
incurred.)  The  first  news  I  received  from  the  North 
was  an  account  of  the  death  of  George  Hurlbut,  which 
gave  me  a  severe  shock. 

While  with  Dr.  Moseley,  I  received  a  letter  from 
an  Englishman,  that  my  father  was  living.  I  had  not 
heard  from  him  for  eight  years.  Though  I  had  writ- 
ten, the  letters  had  failed  to  reach  him,  and  he  was 
not  aware  of  my  address. 

While  in  Virginia,  I  repeatedly  addressed  the  col- 
ored people, — in  Richmond,  Norfolk,  Petersburg,  Char- 
lottesville,  Lynchburg,  and  other  places.  At  Rich- 
mond I  had  twenty-five  hundred  in  the  Baptist 
Church.  I  was  a  little  embarrassed  about  my  address 
to  them,  and  asked  a  gentleman, — a  D.  D.?  who  sat 
with  me, — "How  shall  I  talk  to  these  people?" 

He  said,  "Just  as  you  talked  last  night  in  Dr. 
Stiles'  church."  And  I  did. 

There  was  no  point  I  made  they  did  not  take 
promptly ;  no  anecdote,  that  they  did  not  enjoy.  One 
little  incident  interested  and  moved  me  very  much. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OP   JOIItf   B.  GOUGH.  219 

I  said  something  of  heaven,  and  a  tall  negro  rose 
and  commenced  a  song.     He  had  not  sung  two  words " 
before  the  audience  caught  it  up,  and  two  thousand 
voices  joined  with  his.     There  was  a  chorus: — 

"  I'm  bound  for  the  land  of  Canaan, — 

Come,  go  along  with  me; 
We'll  all  pass  over  Jordan, 

And  sound  the  jubilee. 
Den  we  shall  see  Jesus ; — 

Come,  go  along  with  me ; 
We're  all  gwine  home  together, 

And  will  sound  the  jubilee." 

I  am  afraid  to  say  how  many  verses  they  sung  with 
this  chorus.  It  seemed  to  me  there  were  over  a  dozen, 
and  I  had  quite  a  rest.  Just  as  I  was  resuming  my 
speech,  a  tall  man  stood  up  by  the  pulpit,  and  said : 
"Bredren,  jist  look  at  me.  Here's  a  nigger  dat  doesn't 
own  his-self.  I  belong  to  Massa  Carr,  bless  de  Lord ! 
Yes,  bredren,  Massa  Carr  owns  me.  Yes,  bredren,  dis 
poor  old  body  belongs  to  Massa  Carr;  but  my  soul  is 
de  free-man  of  de  Lord  Jesus ! " 

The  effect  was  electrical,  and  the  whole  audience 
shouted:  "Amen!"  "Glory!"  "Bless  de  Lord!" 

I  took  the  opportunity  of  saying,  "  There  is  not  a 
drunkard  in  this  city  can  say  that!" 

I  conversed  often  with  the  slaves,  and  though  I  saw 
the  "  institution  "  in  its  mildest  aspects,  I  saw  enough 
to  send  me  back  to  the  North  more  strongly  anti- 
slavery  than  ever  before.  Thank  God  !  that  cloud  has 
been  driven  from  the  horizon  forever.  We  have 
passed  through  a  red  sea  of  blood;  but  have  reached 
the  shores  of  freedom,  and  slavery  is  among  the 
things  that  were,  and  shall  be  no  more.  I  was  often 


220     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

amused  at  their  quaint  modes  of  expression,  and  in- 
terested especially  in  their  deeply  religious  nature. 
The  drollest  prayer  I  ever  heard,  was  from  a  colored 
man  in  Charlottesville.  He  belonged  to  the  Uni- 
versity of  Virginia,  and  knew  it,  and  meant  that 
others  should  know  it,  too.  He  was  appointed  to 
open  the  meeting  with  prayer,  and  he  knelt  in  such 
a  position  that  he  could  look  at  me,  apparently  for 
my  approval.  At  first  I  attempted  to  follow  him, 
but  found  that  to  be  impossible;  and  soon  I  could 
scarcely  keep  my  countenance.  He  told  the  Lord: 
"We've  come  here  to  have  a  temperance  meeting, 
and  Brodder  Gough  is  a  gwine  to  lectur'  to  the  col- 
ored people ;  and  if  dere's  anybody  cum  in  here  peju- 
diss, — and  I  know  dere  is;" — then  he  related  a  con- 
versation he  had  held  before  he  came  in,  and  prayed 
"Dat  de  Lord  would  show  dose  people  datlikker  isn't 
good,"  etc., — with  a  side  glance  at  me.  Then  he  ram- 
bled on0  into  petitions  for  everybody:  for  "De  Uni- 
versity of  Virginny,  whar  /  bilong ;  for  me  ;  for  my 
wife ;  for  my  family ;  for  de  puffessors ;  for  Dr.  Guf — 
Guf — G — Dr.  McGufiy," — and,  failing  to  pronounce 
the  name  correctly,  he  stopped  short,  and  said,  "  Oh, 
pshaw ! "  At  last  he  had  it  right,  and  went  on  naming 
his  friends,  and  concluded  by  saying,  "Dere's  several 
more  of  de  same  sort,  and  de  Lord  knows  who  dey  is 
as  well  as  I  can  tell  Him."  All  this  with  a  great  deal 
of  earnestness  and  sincerity;  but  I  must  say,  it  was 
rather  amusing  to  me,  than  otherwise. 

I  shall  never  forget  how  I  was  touched  by  the  re- 
ply of  a  free  man,  when  he  had  bought  himself,  to  my 
remark  that,  "They  had  had  a  hard  time  of  it." 

"Yes,  sir;  we  has;  but  isn't  we  patient?" 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OP  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     221 

His  look,  and  the  tones  of  his  voice,  made  that  little 
sentence  very  impressive  to  me. 

An  old  colored  man  gave  me  an  excellent  text  for 
a  lecture,  which  I  used:  "Massa  Gough,  I  signed  de 
pledge  eight  years  ago,  and  I  find  it  helps  my  'ligion. 
I've  found  out  dis, — dat  a  man  can't  make  no  calcula- 
tion dat  will  come  right,  for  tune  or  for  eternity,  if  he 
drinks  liquor." 

And  a  capital  text  I  found  it. 

A  colored  preacher  said:  "Bredren,  I  don't  know 
whedder  I  shall  edify  you  or  not,  for  I  have  been  eat- 
ing chestnuts  all  the  morning." 

On  the  4th  of  September  I  started  for  Lynchburg, 
on  my  way  home ;  remained  with  Col.  Otey  three 
days ;  reached  Bremo,  Seven-Islands,  on  the  7th ; 
visited  with  General  Cocke  till  the  15th ;  when  I  left 
for  home,  via  Richmond  and  Washington ;  reaching 
Roxbury  on  the  18th  of  September. 

While  in  Virginia,  the  following  article  had  ap- 
peared in  the  "  Vox  Populi,"  published  at  Lowell,  and 
was  extensively  copied : — 

It  is  currently  reported,  and,  we  regret  to  say,  generally  believed, 
that  John  B.  Gough,  the  celebrated  temperance  lecturer,  has  again 
broken  his  pledge.  We  are  credibly  informed  that  he  was  seen  in  a 
state  of  intoxication  in  Church  Street,  on  Monday  evening,  and  that  he 
said  he  came  to  this  city  on  Saturday.  We  are  unable  to  ascertain 
any  particulars,  where  he  stopped,  or  obtained  his  liquor ;  but  shall 
make  inquiries  before  another  publication. 

Some  copies  of  this  article  were  sent  to  me  in  Vir- 
ginia, which  I  have  still  in  my  possession.  Now,  I 
had  not  been  in  Lowell  since  August  28,  1845.  I 
pass  on  without  comment. 

I  rested  at  home  till  October  22d  j  then  commenced 


222     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

my  work  in  Massachusetts ;  then  passed  on  to  New 
York,  Philadelphia,  and  Baltimore ;  concluding  the 
work  for  the  year  1846,  at  Norfolk,  Virginia.  During 
the  year,  I  received  a  letter  from  my  father,  an  ex- 
tract from  which  I  insert.  The  date  is,  "Royal  Hos- 
pital, Chelsea,  September  29,  1846  : " — 

It  is  a  long  time  since  I  saw  or  heard  from  you.  I  had,  indeed, 
given  up  all  hopes  of  ever  hearing  of  you  again.  I  think  about  three 
weeks  since  Mr.  Ross  called  and  informed  me  that  he  had  seen  my  son 
in  America,  and  -that  he  had  published  a  history  of  his  life, — which  I 
immediately  procured.  I  am  at  a  loss,  my  dear  son,  how  to  express 
my  feelings  on  reading  your  book, — more  particularly  the  first  part  of 
it.  You  must  be  aware  that  the  narration  of  the  many  trials  you  en- 
countered must  have  harrowed  up  the  feelings  of  a  father.  Although 
I  am  not  a  member  of  the  Total  Abstinence  Society,  yet,  I  bless  God 
that  such  a  society  exists;  for,  by  its  instrumentality,  I  am  happy  to 
say  that  " My  son  was  dead,  and  is  alive  again;  he  was  lost,  and  is 
found."  And  I  do  hope  that,  through  grace,  you  will  be  enabled  to 
perform  with  all  fidelity,  as  a  Christian,  your  duty  to  God  and  man. 
Oh !  what  unspeakable  pleasure  would  it  give  to  your  poor  old  father, 
once  more  to  see  his  son,  before  leaving  this  world  of  trials.  I  am  now 
in  my  sixty-sixth  year,  and  am  in  a  good  degree  of  health,  and  enjoy 
my  present  situation  as  a  pensioner  of  the  "Royal  Hospital."  Give  my 
very  affectionate  love  to  your  sister  Mary  and  family,  hoping  they  will 
all  do  well.  My  son,  you  have  drawn  a  sorrowful  picture  of  your  dear 
mother's  interment,  in  your  history.  I  felt  that  part  of  it  keenly.  » 

Remember  me  to  your  wife,  and  assure  her  that  it  would  be  a  source 
of  the  greatest  comfort  to  see  you  both.  May  the  Lord  bless  you,  and 
make  you  happy ! — is  the  prayer  of  your  affectionate  father, 

JOHN  GOUGH. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Work  Among  the  Children — Incidents — Disturbance  in  " Faneuil  Hall" 
— Extracts  from  Journals — Dread  of  Audiences — Tremont  Tem- 
ple— Meeting  in  New  York — Refusal  to  let  me  Pass — Flushing, 
L.  I. — "  Singed  Cat " — Polite  Proprietor. 

THOUGH  during  these  years  the  temperance  move- 
ment was  bitterly  assailed,  and  its  enemies  quick  and 
persistent  in  their  opposition,  yet  the  great  cause  was 
in  a  healthy  state,  and  those  were  the  palmy  days  for 
temperance.  We  had  quarterly  county  conventions ; 
the  pledge  at  all  our  meetings  freely  circulated ;  the 
children  gathered  into  cold  water  armies ;  the  societies 
were  alive  and  working ;  the  temperance  men  were 
energetic  and  hopeful.  Much  of  the  pleasantest  work 
was  'among  the  children ;  and  I  was  always  desirous  of 
addressing  them.  They  were  among  the  most  inter- 
esting and  interested  audiences  I  had.  It  was  encour- 
aging to  speak  to  them,  because  they  understood  what 
was  said.  Many  objected  that  "they  did  not  compre- 
hend these  things."  A  speaker  once  told  me  that  the 
greatest  rebuke  he  ever  received,  was  in  overhearing 
two  boys  discuss  an  address  they  had  heard  from  him : 

"  Well,  Bill,  how  did  you  like  it?" 

"  Didn't  like  it  at  all." 

"Why  not?" 

"Why,  because  he  talked  so  much  baby-talk  to  us 
boys."  * 


224     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

I  always  found  the  boys  and  girls  did  understand 
it,  and  they  were  often  most  efficient  workers  for  the 
movement.  We  furnished  the  children  with  pledge- 
cards  ;  and  it  is  surprising  how  many  they  induced  to 
sign.  A  man  was  leaning,  much  intoxicated,  against 
a  tree ;  some  little  girls  coming  from  school,  saw  him 
there,  and  at  once  said  to  each  other,  "What  shall  we 
do  for  him?"  Presently, one  said,  "Oh,  I'll  tell  you; 
let's  sing  him  a  temperance  song."  And  so  they  did ; 
collecting  round  him  they  sung: — 

"Away  the  bowl,  away  the  bowl;" 

and  so  on,  in  beautiful  tones.  The  poor  fellow '  en- 
joyed the  singing,  and  when  they  had  finished  the 
song,  said,  "Sing  again,  little  girls,  sing  again." 

"We  will,"  said  they,  "if  you'll  sign  the  temper- 
ance pledge." 

"No,  no;  we  are  not  at  a  temperance  meeting; 
there  are  no  pledges  here." 

"I  have  a  pledge,"  cries  one;  and  "I  have  a  pencil," 
cries  another;  and  holding  up  pledge  and  pencil,  they 
besought  him  to  sign  it. 

"No,  no;  I  won't  sign  now;  sing  for  me." 

So  they  sung  again: — 

"The  drink  that's  in  the  drunkard's  bowl 
Is  not  the  drink  for  me." 

"Oh!  do  sing  again,"  said  he,  as  he  wiped  the  tears 
from  his  eyes. 

"  No,  no  more,"  said  they,  "  unless  you'll  sign  the 
pledge ;  sign  it,  and  we'll  sing  for  you." 

He  pleaded  for  the  singing,  but  they  were  firm, 
and  declared  they  would  go  away  if  he  would  not 
sign. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     225 

"  But,"  said  the  poor  fellow,  striving  to  find  an  ex- 
cuse, "  there's  no  table  here ;  how  can  I  write  without 
a  table?" 

At  this,  a  quiet,  modest,  pretty  little  creature  came 
up  timidly,  with  a  finger  on  her  lips,  and  said,  "  You 
can  spread  the  pledge  on  the  crown  of  your  hat,  and 
I'll  hold  it  up  for  you." 

Off  went  the  hat,  the  child  held  it,  and  the  pledge 
was  signed  ;  and  the  little  ones  burst  out  with — 

"  Ob !  water  for  me,  bright  water  for  me." 

I  heard  that  man  in  Worcester  town  hall,  with  up- 
lifted hands  and  quivering  lip,  say:  "I  thank  God  for 
the  sympathy  of  those  children.  I  shall  thank  God 
to  all  eternity,  that  He  sent  those  little  children  as 
ministers  of  mercy  to  me." 

Then  again,  the  sympathy  enlisted  in  behalf  of  the 
unfortunate  children  of  the  intemperate,  was  produc- 
tive of  great  good.  A  school-teacher  told  me  of  a 
very  pleasing  change  which  took  place  in  her  school, 
in  the  conduct  of  her  scholars  towards  two  poor  little 
creatures  whom  it  was  almost  impossible  not  to  pity. 
The  children  who  came  from  a  distance,  would  bring 
*thoir  dinners,  and,  at  recess,  sit  down  in  the  school- 
room, or  under  the  trees,  to  eat.  These  poor  little 
things  often  had  no  dinner,  and  would  stand  wistfully 
by  the  side  of  the  others.  The  latter  would  say,  "  Go 
away!  your  father's  a  drunkard."  But  they  were 
taught  otherwise  at  the  "cold  water  army"  gather- 
ings ;  and  then  it  was  gratifying  to  see  how  delicate 
in  their  attentions  they  were  to  the  little  unfortu- 
nates. They  would  steal  up  to  the  place  where  the 
two  little  ones  were  sitting;  one  would  put  down  a 


226  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF   JOHX   B.  GOUGH. 

piece  of  pie,  another  an  apple,  and  then  run  away; 
and  occasionally  the  contributions  were  so  liberal,  that 
the  poor  things  had  more  provisions  and  delicacies 
before  them  at  one  time,  than  they  would  see  at 
home  in  a  month. 

I  have  been  often  touched  by  the  sorrows  of  the 
drunkard's  child.  Pitiful  little  things  they  are  some- 
times! I  was  once  asked  by  a  gentleman  at  whose 
house  I  was  dining  in  Washington,  "What  was  the 
most  pitiful  sight  I  ever  saw  ?  "  After  a  little  thought, 
I  said:  "An  old  child;  a  child  with  wrinkles  in  its 
face,  that  is  not  yet  in  its  teens;  a  child  made  old 
by  hard  usage;  whose  brow  is  furrowed  by  the 
plowshare  of  sorrow ; — that  is  one  of  the  most  pitiful 
sights  on  earth ! " 

We  underrate  the  capacity  of  a  child  to  suffer,  as 
we  do  often  their  ability  to  understand.  Many  a 
young  thing  has  wept  scalding  tears  at  the  conscious- 
ness of  being  a  drunkard's  child.  I  was  once  driven 
from  Hartford  to  a  village  where  I  was  to  lecture,  by 
a  man  who  wished  to  convey  me  there.  He  came 
with  a  fine  pair  of  horses,  harnesses,  and  vehicle  quite 
stylish.  "  Ah ! "  said  he  to  me,  when  we  had  fairly 
started  on  the  road ;  "  Ah !  if  you  had  seen  me  eight 
years  ago,  when  I  was  carted  out  of  Willington,  you'd 
have  thought  I  was  a  hard  case ;  everything  I  pos- 
sessed in  the  world  on  a  one-horse  cart,— wife,  children, 
furniture, — what  there  was  of  it, — on  a  one-horse  cart. 
A  man  lent  me  the  team  to  get  me  out  of  the  place  ; 
and  such  a  horse !  You  couldn't  see  his  head  more 
than  half  the  time.  I  knew  he  had  a  head,  'cause 
when  I'd  pull  the  rein  he'd  kind  of  come  round, — and 
so  slow !  why.  the  only  effect  of  leathering  him  was 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOUG1I.  227 

to  make  him  go  sideways,  but  not  a  bit  faster.  Now 
I  am  driving  you  to  my  native  town  with  a  span  of 
horses.  They're  mine, — I  own  this  team.  That  off- 
horse  is  a  good  traveler.  (G'lang! — I'm  in  a  hurry.) 
Why,  eight  years  ago  I  was  carted  out,  and  now  I'm 
driving  you  there,  with  my  own  team,  for  a  temperance 
lecture.  (Get  up!  g'lang!)  My  father  lives  there  yet, 
and  my  old  mother,  that  has  prayed  for  me  so  many 
years, — (get  up!  g'lang! — I'm  in  a  hurry.)  It  is  the 
happiest  day  of  my  life.  My  wife's  people  live  there, 
too.  They  never  spoke  to  me  for  years  before  I  signed 
the  pledge,  and  I  have  a  letter  in  my  pocket  inviting 
me  to  bring  you  to  their  house.  G'lang  ! "  he  shouted, 
and  we  spun  along  the  road  at  the  rate  of  twelve 
miles  an  hour.  Slacking  the  speed,  he  turned  to  me 
and  said,  "  Do  I  look  like  a  brute  ?  "  "  No,  certainly 
not,"  I  replied.  "  Well,  I'm  not  a  brute  ;  everybody 
said  I  was  a  brute  ;  but  I  am  not  a  brute.  And  yet — 
well,  I'll  tell  you.  I  came  home  one  day  irritated  with 
drink,  ready  to  vent  my  anger  on  anything.  My  boy, 
about  ten  years  old,  came  to  the  door,  and  as  soon  as 
he  saw  me  he  darted  off.  'Dick,  come  here,  come 
here ! '  When  he  came,  his  face  was  bloody  and 
bruised,  his  lip  cut,  and  one  eye  swollen.  '  What  have 
you  been  doing,  Dick  ? '  '  I've  been  fighting.'  I  had 
no  objection  to  the  boy's  fighting;  but  I  asked,  '  What 
have  you  been  fighting  for?'  He  said,  ' Don't  ask 
me,  father ;  I  don't  want  to  tell  you.'  l  Tell  me  what 
you  have  been  fighting  for?'  'I  don't  want  to.'  Full 
of  rage,  I  caught  him  by  the  collar  of  his  little  jacket 
and  roared  out,  'Now,  tell  me  what  you  have  been 
fighting  for,  or  I  will  cut  the  life  out  of  you.'  (  Oh, 
father!'  he  cried  out  piteously,  ' don't  beat  me,  father, 


228     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

don't  beat  me.'  '  Tell  me  what  you've  been  fighting 
for,  then.'  '  Oh !  I  don't  want  to.'  I  struck  him  with 
my  fist  on  the  side  of  his  head.  'Now,  tell  me  what 
you've  been  fighting  for.'  l  Oh !  father,  father,  don't 
beat  me,  I  will  tell  you.'  '  Well,  tell  me  then,  quick.' 
Wiping  the  blood  and  tears  from  his  poor,  swelled 
face  with  the  back  of  his  hand,  he  said :  '  There  was 
a  boy  out  there  told  me  my  father  was  a  poor  old 
drunkard,  and  I  licked  him;  and  if  he  tells  me  that 
again,  I'll  lick  him  again.'  Oh!  Mr.  Gough,  what 
could  I  say?  My  boy,  ten  years  of  age,  fighting  for 
his  father's  reputation.  I  tell  you,  it  had  like  to  killed 
me.  How  I  loved  that  boy,  my  noble  boy, — I  could 
almost  have  worshiped  him.  But  oh,  oh,  the  drink, 
the  cursed  drink, — my  love  for  that  was  stronger  than 
my  love  for  my  child." 

Do  not,  then,  little  ones  suffer  ?  God  help  them ! 
and  inspire  every  friend  of  humanity  to  stretch  out 
a  helping  hand  to  these  despairing,  wretched,  but 
innocent  victims  of  this  horrible  vice  of  drunkenness. 

While  laboring  among  children,  I  have  been  deeply 
impressed  with  the  importance  of  the  work;  and  I 
believe  just  in  proportion  as  we  neglect  the  right 
training  of  children  in  these  important  principles,  we 
lose  our  hold  on  the  public  mind.  These  little  ones 
are  growing  up  rapidly  to  influence,  and  in  a  great 
measure  to  govern  society.  Their  power  for  good  or 
evil  is  greatly  increasing  year  by  year.  Start  them 
right, — and  surely  abstinence  from  stimulating  drinks 
is  right.  "  Teach  them  temperance,"  say  some.  What 
is  temperance  ? — the  moderate  gratification  of  a  natu- 
ral appetite.  Is  the  appetite  for  intoxicating  drinks 
a  natural  appetite?  No!  Is  not  total  abstinence 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     229 

safe?1  Is  not  drinking  a  risk?  Then,  help  to  save 
and  secure  children, — I  will  not  say,  from  the  evil 
that  must  come  on  them  by  drinking,  but  that  which 
may.  Parents  are  influenced  by  their  children.  Many 
a  man  has  been  saved  by  the  instrumentality  of  his- 
child.  A  very  useful  worker  in  this  field  in  Scotland, 
was  reformed  by  hearing  his  little  child  ask  his 
mother,  who  was  reading  to  her  children  the  twenty- 
fifth  chapter  of  Matthew,  "  Will  father  be  among  the 
goats,  when  Jesus  comes  ?  "  Another  man  I  knew,  was 
reformed  by  his  child's  asking  him  a  simple  question. 
He  had  stolen  the  Testament  the  little  girl  had  re- 
ceived as  a  gift  from  her  Sunday-school  teacher,  and 
sold  it  for  drink.  When  on  her  death-bed,  she  asked : 
"  Father,  when  I  go  to  heaven,  suppose  Jesus  should 
ask  me  what  you  did  with  my  little  Testament,  what 
shall  I  tell  him  ?"  He  told  me  that  was  like  a  flash  of 
lightning  through  him ;  and  before  the  child  died, 
she  held  his  hand  in  hers,  while  he  cried,  "  God  be 
merciful  to  me  a  sinner ! " 

Some  of  the  little  fellows  who  became  members  of 
the  cold  water  army  twenty  years  ago,  thank  God  for 
it  to-day.  I  grant  you  that  some  may  not  keep  their 
pledge  ;  but  many  do, — that  we  know. 

A  child's  rebuke  is  sometimes  effective  by  its  art- 
lessness  and  simplicity,  and  a  man  will  feel  more 
keenly  reproof  from  a  child,  than  he  would  a  sermon ; 
and  these  little  ones  often  preach  powerful  sermons 
in  a  few  words. 

A  barrel  of  liquor  was  being  carted  up  a  street  in 

Boston,  when,  by  accident,  it  rolled  off,  and  the  head 

was  driven  in.      One  of  the  spectators,  seeing  the 

liquor  spilt,  said,  "Oh,  what  a  pity!"     "Oh  no,  sir," 

15 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    JOHN    B.  GOUGH. 

said  a  little  boy,  "It  is  not  a  pity;  it  had  better  be 
on  God's  earth,  than  in  God's  image." 

I  have  so  many  interesting  facts  in  reference  to  the 
work  among  the  children,  that  I  am  loth  to  turn  away 
to  other  topics.  But  I  long  to  see  a  deeper  interest 
manifested  in  the  instruction  and  training  of  them  in 
the  right  path. 

"I  never  drank  a  glass  of  liquor  in  my  life,"  said  a 
young  man  to  me  a  short  time  since.  How  many 
young  men  to-day  cry  out  in  the  bitterness  of  their 
wretched  experience,  "Would  to  God  I  could  say 
that!" 

In  the  year  1847  I  continued  my  work,  visiting 
towns  and  cities  in  the  States  of  Massachusetts,  New 
York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  and  Maryland.  From 
May  llth  to  June  25th,  I  was  in  Virginia,  and  then 
returned  home.  I  moved  from  Roxbury  to  Boston, 
October  31,  1846.  On  the  23d  of  August,  I  started 
for  the  Province  of  New  Brunswick,  and  remained 
there  till  October  1st;  lecturing  in  St.  Johns  princi- 
pally, but  speaking  in  Fredericton  and  some  other 
places.  I  have  very  pleasant  remembrances  of  my 
visit  to'  that  Province.  Passing  through  Maine,  I 
reached  home  October  16th,  and  spoke  in  Tremont 
Temple  on  Sunday,  17th. 

Several  temperance  meetings  had  been  disturbed 
by  a  systematic  course  of  opposition  from  enemies  of 
the  cause.  In  one  instance,  the  meeting  was  broken 
up  by  the  appointment  of  a  notorious  liquor  seller  to 
the  chair.  The  Directors  of  the  "  Boston  Temperance 
Society"  asked  me  if  I  would  deliver  an  address  in 
Faneuil  Hall,  under  these  circumstances.  I  expressed 
my  willingness  to  do  so,  and  Thursday,  October  21st, 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     231 

was  appointed.  All  that  day  there  was  considerable 
commotion  in  the  city, — knots  of  men  at  the  corners 
of  the  streets,  eagerly  and  excitedly  discussing  the 
probability  of  a  row;  some  declaring  there  would  be 
a  serious  riot,  if  we  attempted  to  hold  the  meeting. 
As  is  well  known,  Faneuil  Hall  is  obtained  by  a  re- 
quest of  the  city  authorities,  signed  by  one  hundred 
citizens,  for  its  use,  and  no  charge  is  made  except  for 
lighting.  In  Boston  it  is  recognized  as  the  People's 
Hall.  On  arriving,  we  found  a  very  large  crowd,  and 
some  evidently  bent  on  mischief.  After  prayer  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Fuller,  Deacon  Grant,  amid  a  storm  of  hisses 
and  applause,  introduced  me.  I  stepped  forward  to 
address  the  audience,  but  was  so  assailed  by  hisses, 
screams,  and  personal  abuse,  that  I  could  do  nothing 
but  stand  and  look  at  them  in  perfect  amazement. 
There  were  not  more  than  two  hundred  engaged  in 
this  disturbance ;  but  the  whole  mass  of  the  people 
were  in  a  state  of  excitement.  Three  cheers  were 
called  for  Deacon  Grant ;  then  for  some  notorious 
liquor  seller ;  then  for  me  ;  then  for  everybody  in  par- 
ticular. Some  started  the  tune, "  Oh !  oh !  the  boatmen 
row;"  and  a  ring  was  formed,  and  dancing  commenced. 

A  Boston  paper  stated:  "We  learn  that  rum  had 
been  freely  distributed  during  the  day,  with  the  un- 
derstanding that  the  topers  who  partook  of  the  bev- 
erage were  to  be  at  the  hall  at  an  early  hour,  pre- 
pared to  do  the  dirty  work  of  their  masters,  the  rum- 
sellers;"  and  "that  certain  men  had  been  very  active 
during  the  day  in  beating  up  recruits  for  the  occasion." 

The  "  Boston  Atlas  "  said  :  "  Mr.  Gough  was  utterly 
prevented  from  being  heard,  by  the  shouting,  hissing, 
bawling,  and  stamping  of — shall  we  tell  it  to  the 


232     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

nation? — a  real  mob,  in  the  cradle  of  American  lib- 
erty! A  mob  composed,  of  course,  of  such  only  as 
have  good  reason  to  dread  the  fervid  eloquence  of  a 
humble  man,  lately  rescued  from  the  destroyer,  and 
now  laboring,  day  and  night,  to  save  others !  This  in 
Boston !  This  in  Faneuil  Hall ! " 

Nearly  every  paper  in  the  city  commented  severely 
on  the  outrage,  and  its  authors.  But  simple  disturb- 
ance did  not  suit  the  projectors  of  this  opposition  to 
our  meeting,  and  they  soon  proceeded  to  active  vio- 
lence. A  rush  was  made  for  the  platform,  and  re- 
sisted ;  again  they  tried  it,  and  they  came  pouring  up 
like  besiegers  to  a  fort.  Our  friends  stood  on  the  de- 
fensive ;  and  one  or  two,  losing  their  patience,  met 
the  attack  with  physical  force.  One  seized  the  pitcher 
and  broke  it  over  the  head  of  one  of  the  assailants. 
I  had  placed  my  hat  on  my  head  (it  was  a  new  one,  by 
the  way)  just  as  another  of  our  friends  raised  a  chair, 
and,  as  he  threw  it  back  to  give  force  to  the  blow,  it 
came  he'avily  against  my  hat,  crushing  it  in,  and  en- 
tirely destroying  the  symmetry  of  my  "new  hat."  I 
had  spoken  some  weeks  before  to  the  seamen  of  the 
United  States  Receiving  Ship  Ohio,  and  several  of  the 
men  were  at  Faneuil  Hall  that  night.  One  man, 
in  his  blue  shirt,  with  the  stars  on  the  collar,  and  his 
tarpaulin  with  "Ohio"  on  it,  said  to  me,  "We're  from 
the  'Ohio,' Mr.  Gough,  and  they  sha'n't  hurt  you;"  and 
several  of  the  good  fellows  struck  out  right  and  left. 
One  of  the  rioters  came  rushing  towards  me,  and 
striking  the  table,  it  gave  way,  and  down  he  went, 
table  and  all.  A  seaman  caught  him  up  by  the  col- 
lar of  his  coat  and  somewhere  else,  and  threw  him 
out  into  the  audience.  He  looked  very  much  like 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN"  B.  GOUGH.     233 

what  the  Irishman  called  a  "straddle-bug."  My  wife 
was  in  the  gallery,  and  as  she  saw  this  man  going  out 
into  the  crowd,  sprawling  in  the  air,  like  a  frog,  she 
thought  it  was  me ;  but  her  fears  were  allayed  by 
seeing  me  standing  on  the  platform,  with  a  "shocking 
bad  hat."  This  confusion  must  have  lasted  an  hour, 
when  the  police  came  in  and  restored  order. 

The  "Boston  Post"  of  October  22d,  contained  an 
article  headed,  "An  unsuccessful  attempt  to  put  down 
Mr.  John  B.  Gough,"  and  stated  that  we  were  "inter- 
rupted by  cries  of  'organize  !'  'organize!'  'Peter  Brig- 
ham  ! '  '  Peter  Brigham ! '  etc.,  and  a  knot  of  persons 
bent  on  mischief  forced  themselves  on  the  platform ; 
Mr.  Gough  was  struck  over  the  head  with  a  chair ; 
Constable  Ellis  was  thrown,  or  rather  swept,  off  the 
platform ;  a  pitcher  was  broken,  and  the  fragments 
used  as  missiles ;  two  of  the  intruders  were  knocked 
off  the  platform  by  a  stout  man  who  came  to  the  de- 
fence of  the  officers  of  the  meeting ;  and  blows  be- 
came general,  until  Mr.  Taylor,  the  superintendent, 
turned  off  the  gas.  During  the  hight  of  the  uproar, 
two  intoxicated  men  were  forced  on  the  platform  by 
their  company,  who  seemed  to  regard  it  as  a  capi- 
tal joke.  In  the  meantime,  notice  had  been  sent  to 
the  City  Marshal,  who  lost  no  time  in  repairing  to 
the  scene  with  a  full  force  of  police.  When  they 
reached  the  hall,  the  principal  friends  and  opponents 
of  the  meeting  were  all  huddled  and  jammed  to- 
gether on  and  about  the  platform.  The  arrival  of 
the  police  was  received  with  loud  cheers,  and  they 
soon  opened  a  lane  to  the  platform,  took  possession 
of  it,  drove  down  all  who  had  no  right  there,  and 
restored  the  officers  of  the  meeting  to  their  places. 


234     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

The  gas  was  turned  on,  Mr.  Gough  resumed  his  re- 
marks," etc. 

The  "  Boston  Daily  Mail "  said  :  "  It  was  confusion 
worse  confounded ;  the  friends  of  decency  turned 
pale,  and  the  mob  hooted  like  so  many  fiends ;  tables 
and  chairs  flew  about,  and  matters  began  to  look  still 
more  threatening,  when  some  one  turned  off  the  gas, 
leaving  everything  in  almost  total  darkness.  The 
friends  of  Mr.  Gough  resolutely  maintained  their  po- 
sition, till  a  strong  posse  of  police — for  whom  a  mes- 
senger had  been  dispatched — made  their  appear- 
ance," etc. 

We  were  much  relieved  when  Marshal  Tukey 
marched  in  at-  the  head  of  some  eighty  men,  and  re- 
stored order.  A  notice  was  given  that  another  meet- 
ing would  be  held,  one  week  from  that  night,  Thurs- 
day, October  28 ;  and  on  that  occasion  there  was  not 
the  slightest  disturbance,  and,  I  believe,  there  never 
has  been  in  Boston  since  at  any  meeting  held  for 
the  promotion  of  temperance.  It  was  severe,  while 
it  lasted  ;  but,  like  a  thunder-storm,  it  cleared  the  at- 
mosphere. 

I  addressed  a  large  audience  at  Tremont  Temple, 
on  Sunday  evening,  the  24th,  filled  the  engagement 
at  Faneuil  Hall,  and  continued  my  work  in  Massachu- 
setts till  December  13th,  when  I  went  to  New  York, 
and  closed  the  year's  work  in  Kingston,  in  that  State. 
In  October  I  became  weary  of  living  in  the  city,  so  we 
removed  to  Boylston,  and  boarded  at  the  farm-house 
of  Capt.  Stephen  Flagg,  in  that  town. 

At  this  time,  I  labored  in  Philadelphia  under  the 
auspices  of  the  "  Ladies'  Temperance  Union,"  a  well- 
organized  association,  and  very  successful  for  many 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     235 

years ;  Miss  Sarah  McCalla  (with  whom  we  made 
our  home  for  many  seasons),  Mrs.  Dr.  Bryan,  and  the 
other  managers,  vigorously  and  persistently  laboring 
for  its  advancement.  In  Boston,  I  was  generally  em- 
ployed by  the  "  Boston  Temperance  Society ;"  in  New 
York,  by  the  "  Daughters  of  Temperance,"  and  other 
associations, — our  friend,  Mr.  Dikernan,  hospitably  en- 
tertaining us  at  his  house. 

I  have  often  been  asked,  "  Were  you  ever  embar- 
rassed before  an  audience  ?"  Often  the  dread  of  an 
audience  has  well-nigh  unfitted  me  for  the  evening's 
service  ;  and  now,  after  more  than  twenty-six  years  of 
platform-speaking,  I  rarely  face  an  audience  without 
a  dryness  of  my  lips,  and  a  weakness  in  my  knees. 
To  be  sure,  it  does  not  last  long ;  but  it  is  distress- 
ing for  the  time  being.  There  have  been  occasions 
when  the  nervousness  and  depression  previous  to 
addressing  an  audience,  have  been  of  the  most  in- 
tense and  distressing  character.  In  Boston,  wrhen  I 
had  been  announced  for  Tremont  Temple,  on  Sunday 
evening,  for  the  one  hundred  and  sixty-first  lecture 
in  that  city,  it  so  far  overcame  me,  that  Deacon 
Grant,  in  whose  family  we  were  staying,  became  quite 
alarmed.  All  day  it  weighed  heavily  on  my  mind. 
I  could  not  go  to  church.  As  the  time  for  the  meet- 
ing drew  on,  my  wife  accompanied  me  to  the  Temple. 
We  reached  the  door — my  heart  failed  me,  and  I 
turned  away.  My  wife  tried  to  cheer  me,  walked 
with  me ; — a  second  time  we  reached  the  door,  and  I 
again  turned  back.  At  length  I  mustered  up  cour- 
age, and,  amid  doubt,  and  trembling  with  fear,  we 
pressed  our  way  in  with  the  crowd. 

u  You  can't  come  in ;    the  hall  is  full,"  said   the 


236     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

door-keeper.  "I  wish  you  would  keep  me  out,"  was 
my  reply.  "Ah!  Mr.  Gough,  is  that  you  ?  Make  way 
there ! "  and  on  I  went,  feeling  like  "  an  ox  going  to 
the  slaughter,  or  a  fool  to  the  correction  of  the  stocks." 

Mr.  Grant  was  waiting  for  me  with  great  anxiety, 
for  he  knew  the  state  of  my  mind.  "  I  can  say  noth- 
ing to-night ;  I  haven't  a  thought,"  were  the  first 
words  I  said  to  him,  as  I  took  my  seat  on  the  plat- 
form. But  it  was  necessary  that  the  exercises  should 
begin.  Rev.  Mr.  Cushman  offered  prayer,  and  prayed 
most  feelingly  for  me ;  but  the  black  cloud  still  cov- 
ered me.  Then  music, — I  hoped  that  might  inspire 
me  ;  but  no.  For  a  wonder  even  that  failed  to  help 
me.  When  introduced,  I  stood  with  trembling  limbs 
and  a  sinking  heart,  and  I  well  remember  what  I  said : 
"  Ladies  and  gentlemen,  I  have  nothing  to  say.  It  is 
not  my  fault  that  I  am  before  you  to-night.  I  almost 
wish  I  could  feel  as  a  gentleman  in  New  York  told 
the  people  he  felt  when  he  addressed  them, — 'I  am 
never  afraid  of  an  audience ;  I  imagine  the  people 
are  so  many  cabbage-heads.'  I  wish  I  could  feel  so." 
Then  a  thought  struck  me,  and  I  said :  "  No,  I  do  not 
wish  that.  When  I  look  in  your  faces,  an  assemblage 
of  rational  and  immortal  beings,  and  remember  how 
drink  has  debased  and  dragged  down  the  loftiest  and 
noblest  minds,  I  cannot  feel  so, — I  thank  God  I  cannot 
feel  so."  And  then  T  went  on  for  more  than  an  hour 
and  a  half,  with  no  hesitation  even  for  a  word.  When 
I  sat  down,  Deacon  Grant  said,  "Don't  you  ever 
frighten  me  so  again." 

That  audience  had  no  conception  of  my  real  suffer- 
ing. Had  not  my  wife  so  judiciously  cheered  and 
encouraged  me,  I  think  I  should  not  have  appeared 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHtf   B.  GOUGH.  237 

that  night.  I  was  very  pale  and  thin  at  this  time, 
and  many  were  the  jokes  on  my  personal  appearance. 
One  writer  said  I  looked  as  if  a  tolerable  gust  of 
wind  would  blow  me  to  any  required  point  of  the 
compass.  My  hair  was  very  dark,  and  I  suppose  I 
did  look  rather  cadaverous. 

One  night  at  a  crowded  meeting  in  Dr.  Cone's 
church,  Elizabeth  Street,  New  York,  I  was  insinuat- 
ing myself  as  quietly  as  I  could  through  the  mass  of 
people,  who  were  standing  in  the  aisles,  when  I  came 
to  a  big,  broad-shouldered  man,  who  would  not  move 
an  inch,  but  on  the  contrary  seemed  inclined  to  "close 
up."  "Will  you  please  let  me  pass?"  "No,"  he  re- 
plied very  gruffly,  "I  sha'n't."  "I  should  like  to  get 
by  you,  sir,"  I  said,  as  mildly  as  I  could.  "  I  have  no 
doubt  you  would"  (very  sternly).  "But  my  name  is 
Gough,  and  I  have  to  lecture  to-night."  I  thought 
that  would  be  a  clincher ;  but  I  might  as  well  have 
tried  to  move  an  elephant  with  a  feather.  The 
man  looked  bigger  and  taller  than  ever,  as  he  said, 
"Now,  young  man,  you  can't  come  that  game  on  me  ; 
I  have  let  two  or  three  Mr.  Goughs  go  by  me  already." 
I  said,  "  You  please  let  me  pass,  and  the  exercises  will 
at  once  commence."  Turning  half  round,  and  looking 
down  at  me,  he  replied :  "You  don't  believe  I'm  such 
a  fool  as  to  suppose  that  such  a  muff  of  a  fellow  as  you, 
could  bring  all  these  people  together?  Why,  you 
look  so  weak,  that  I  don't  believe  a  quarter  of  them 
could  hear  you.  I  sha'n't  let  you  pass  me."  Fortu- 
nately, a  lady  was  seated  near  who  knew  me,  and, 
seeing  the  difficulty,  asked  me  to  step  over  the  top  of 
the  pew  where  she  was ;  but  the  big  man  gave  wray 
at  that,  saying,  as  I  passed  him,  "If  you  are  Mr. 


238     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

Gough,  begin  as  soon  as  you  can,  for  I  am  tired  of 
standing."     When  I  reached  the  pulpit  I  looked  over 
at  him,  and  could  not  resist  the  temptation  of  making- 
him  a  slight  bow. 

On  my  first  visit  to  Flushing,  L.  I,  I  entered  the 
church,  and,  as  no  one  met  me,  proceeded  to  the  pul- 
pit, and  sat  down  on  the  stairs.  I  noticed  several 
looked  at  me  as  if  they  wondered  what  business  I 
had  there.  Soon  the  directors  of  the  meeting  came 
in,  and  I  was  escorted  to  the  desk.  Looking  down  at 
one  man  whose  gaze  at  me  I  thought  especially  queer, 
I  noticed  him  staring  with  a  good  degree  of  wonder. 
When  I  had  finished,  and  was  coming  down  the  pul- 
pit stairs,  he  stepped  up  to  me,  and,  holding  out  his 
hand,  said,  "You're  very  much  like  a  singed  cat."  I 
drew  myself  up,  a  little  offended  at  what  I  thought 
was  a  very  uncomplimentary  remark.  When  I  reached 
home,  I  related  the  circumstance  to  some  friends,  and 
asked  if  he  meant  to  insult  me.  "  Oh,  no ;  he  meant 
you  was  better  than  you  looked  to  be." 

I  was  once  introduced  by  a  Scotchman,  who  said : 
*  I  wish  to  introduce  Mr.  Gough,  who  is  to  lecture  to 
iis  on  temperance ;  and  I  hope  he'll  prove  far  better 
than  he  looks  to  be." 

I  believe  it  is  considered  a  great  advantage  for  a 
public  speaker  to  be  dignified,  stately,  majestic,  and 
pleasing  in  his  personal  appearance  ;  but  I  never  had 
those  advantages.  Perhaps  I  am  a  gainer  in  the  end  ; 
for  an  audience  may  be  better  pleased  with  a  speaker 
from  whom  they  expect  nothing,  than  from  one  whose 
imposing  appearance  would  lead  them  to  expect 
much.  The  proprietor  of  the  lodging-house  where  we 
were  entertained  on  our  first  visit  to  London,  was 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     239 

so  excessively  polite,  that  it  was  embarrassing  at 
times.  He  would  insinuate  himself  into  the  room  at 
breakfast  time,  and,  bowing  very  gracefully,  would 
say  :  "  I  beg  your  pardon — excuse  me — I'm  much 
obliged  to  you — thank  you — but,  hern  ! — rwhat  would 
you  like  for  dinner  ?  "  These  expressions  he  used  on 
all  occasions.  The  committee  had  presented  him  with 
tickets  to  the  lecture  at  Drury  Lane  Theater,  and  on 
my  return  he  met  me  at  the  door  and  said  :  "  I  beg  your 
pardon,  sir,"  etc.,  "  but,  hem !— I've  been  to  your  lec- 
ture, and — I  beg  your  pardon — thank  you — but,  hem  ! 
— I've  been  very  much  disappointed,  sir." 

"  Ah !  Mr. ,  I'm  sorry  for  that." 

"Gh,  my! — thank  you — I  beg  your  pardon — but, 
hem ! — to  look  at  you,  nobody  would  think  you  could 
speak  on  a  stage — hem! — I  beg  your  pardon — thank 
you,  sir — but,  hem! — when  Lord  Shaftesbury  intro- 
duced you — you  know,  sir — hem! — that  he  is  a  very 
noble-looking  gentleman,  so  tall,  you  know,  and  so — 
hem — I  beg  your  pardon,  but  really — thank  you, 
sir — when  you  stood  up,  you  looked  so — hem! — so 
very — I  beg  your  pardon,  but  really  I  pitied  you — I 
did  indeed,  now — to  look  at  you  nobody  would  think 
you  could  speak  on  the  stage — hem! — I  beg  your 
pardon." 

I  have,  in  traveling,  overheard  some  curious  re- 
marks about  my  personal  appearance,  generally  by 
no  means  complimentary ;  but  I  console  myself  with 
the  calculation,  that,  as  I  was  considered  a  very  pretty 
baby,  if  I  live  to  second  childhood,  beauty  may  come 
to  me  again. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Line  of  Travel  for  the  Tear — Meeting  at  Kingston — Fall  of  the  Plat- 
form— Notice  of  the  Accident — Practical  Jokes — My  Father's  arrival 
in  this  Country — Comments  of  the  Press — Opposition  of  Temper- 
ance Papers — Charge  of  Becoming  Rich — Statement  of  Receipts — 
Present  Condition — Purchase  of  Land — Building  a  House. 

DURING  the  first  few  weeks  of  1848  I  continued 
working  in  New  York  State,  returning  home  February 
4th;  then  in  Connecticut  till  April  28th;  delivering 
during  that  time,  some  addresses  in  New  York  and 
Brooklyn.  After  resting  till  May  8th,  I  commenced 
again  in  Connecticut,  and  continued  in  that  State  and 
Massachusetts,  till  July  3d,  when  I  went  to  Kingston, 
N.  Y. ;  spoke  there  on  the  4th  of  July;  from  thence, 
home  to  rest  till  the  25th,  and  then  on  to  Connecticut 
till  September  6th;  and  continued  through  the  remain- 
der of  the  year  in  the  State  of  New  York, — with  the 
exception  of  two  weeks  in  Connecticut, — lecturing 
generally  in  the  towns  on  the  Hudson  River;  finishing 
the  year  in  Chatham  Four  Corners,  N.  Y.  While  lee- 
turning  in  New  Haven,  I  put  up  at  a  hotel  with  very 
poor  accommodation.  Mr.  John  G.  North  called  on 
me,  with  one  or  two  gentlemen.  When  they  came  to 
my  room,  I  held  up  what  appeared  very  much  like  a 
doll  with  a  large  head,  and  asked  them  to  guess  what 
it  was.  They  were  puzzled,  for  no  one  would  have 
supposed  it  could  be  my  pillow.  We  had  a  laugh  to- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     241 

gether  at  my  discomfort,  and  Mr.  North  took  me  to 
his  pleasant  home,  where  for  years  I  was  most  liber- 
ally entertained  on  my  frequent  visits  to  New  Haven. 

At  Kingston,  N.  Y.,  the  meeting  was  held  on  the 
4th  of  July,  in  a  large  tent.  During  the  .exercises,  a 
portion  of  the  seats  gave  way,  carrying  with  them 
a  part  of  the  platform.  No  one  was  very  seriously 
injured.  A  lady,  I  believe,  had  a  leg  fractured. 
A  New  York  paper  gave  a  notice  of  the  accident, 
headed,  "John  B.  Gough  again  Fallen!"  and  then 
followed  a  statement  of  the  facts,  the  writer  evidently 
intending  a  joke;  and  it  was  so  understood.  But 
there  are  some  persons  who  do  not  understand  a  joke, 
until  it  is  explained  to  them.  Mr.  Wheelock,  of  the 
Quincy  House,  told  me  that  a  person  whom  I  knew 
well  at  that  time,  as  no  friend  to  me,  came  into  the 
hotel,  crying:  "Ha,  ha!  Gough's  down  again!  Just 
as  I  expected — down  again!" 

"  No,"  said  Mr.  Wheelock,  "  I  guess  not ;  at  least  1 
hope  not." 

"Ah !  but  it  is  so ;  here  it  is  in  the  paper ;  look  at 
that, — 'John  B.  Gough  again  Fallen ! '  There's  no 
doubt  about  it  this  time." 

"  Let  me  see  the  paper,"  said  Mr.  Wheelock.  After 
reading  it  he  said  to  the  gentleman,  "  Have  you  read 
the  article  ?  " 

"  No ;  I  only  saw  the  heading,  and  brought  it  right 
to  you,  because  you  are  interested  in  Gough." 

"Well,"  replied  Mr.  Wheelock,  "you  had  better 
read  it," — and  handed  the  paper  to  him. 

"Ah ! "  said  he  when  he  had  read  it,  "  it's  a  pretty 
good  joke." 

Those  who  make   jokes,  should   understand  that 


242  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    JOHN    B.  GOUGH. 

some  persons  cannot  appreciate  a  joke.  They  are 
very  literal,  and  take  everything  in  that  sense.  After 
my  work  in  Buffalo,  one  of  the  city  papers  perpe- 
trated a  joke  that  caused  uneasiness  to  some  per- 
sonal friends  of  mine  for  a  brief  space.  The  paper 
stated:  "We  learn  that  after  a  series  of  temperance 
lectures  delivered  in  Buffalo,  by  John  B.  Gough,  that 
gentleman  left  the  city  on  a  regular  train"  One  el- 
derly lady  friend  ran  in  great  distress  from  house  to 
house,  expressing  her  sorrow  that  Mr.  Gough,  after 
lecturing  on  temperance,  should  go  off  on  a  train; 
and  declared  she  didn't  know  whom  to  trust  after 
that.  Her  anxiety  continued  till  some  one  said,  "  I 
wonder  he  did  not  go  by  the  express  train,"  and  then 
she  saw  the  joke,  and  no  harm  was  done. 

Occasionally  harm  is  done,  through  foolishness  or 
malice.  A  gentleman  told  me  that  in  the  street-cars 
in  Chicago,  the  winter  before  last,  he  heard  a  man 
very  stoutly  abusing  me.  The  cars  were  passing  the 
Baptist  Church  on  Wabash  Avenue,  and  some  one  said, 
"Gough  lectured  on  temperance  there  last  night;" 
when  this  man  cried  out,  "Gough's  a  hypocrite!  he 
has  been  drinking  at  the  Tremont  House."  "Who 
says  so?"  was  the  question  of  one  or  two.  "The 
paper  says  so,"  said  he  triumphantly ;  and  read  out 
the  article  some  silly  person  had  inserted,  to  the 
effect  that  "The  Fat  Contributor"  and  "Nasby"  had 
called  on  Gough,  at  the  Tremont  House,  and  had 
ordered  brandy  up  to  the  room,  till  he  protested  that 
his  reputation  would  suffer ;  the  inference  being,  that 
I  either  drank,  or  consented  that  the  brandy  should 
be  ordered,  till  I  became  fearful  for  my  reputation. 
This  was  a  joke;  but  it  did  me  no  good,  and  caused 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH      243 

me  some  annoyance ;  I  heard  of  it  more  than  once. 
I  know  the  majority  took  it  as  a  joke  ;  but  there  were 
some  who  did  not  stop  to  reflect,  that  no  gentleman 
would  call  on  me  and  order  brandy  to  my  room  in  a 
hotel ;— and  "  The  Fat  Contributor  "  and  "  Nasby  "  are 
both  gentlemen. 

These  are  trifling  matters  to  mention;  but  they  are 
made,  and  can  be  made,  very  annoying.  A  sensitive 
man  does  not  like  these  things  buzzing  about  him.  I 
sometimes  can  say  with  the  poor  fellow,  almost  tor- 
mented out  of  his  wits  by  the  mosquitoes,  "There! 
if  you  must  bite,  bite;  but  stop  your  darned  bugling!" 
A  lady  wrote  me  a  severe  letter  from  St.  Louis,  com- 
mencing by  telling  me  how  much  she  was  pleased 
with  my  address  on  temperance  in  that  city,  but  that 
in  traveling  North,  she  heard  a  very  respectable  per- 
son say  I  kept  a  large  stock  of  wine  in  my  cellar; 
and  then  she  rather  broadly  hinted  that  I  was  a  hyp- 
ocrite. The  "respectable  person"  perpetrated  a  very 
poor  joke,  and  the  lady  took  it  in  earnest, — that's 
all. 

I  crave  my  reader's  pardon  for  alluding  to  these 
little  things;  but  they  produce  an  effect.  "Oh!  do 
not  mind  such  trifles."  That's  easier  said  than  done. 
I  have  been  often  seriously  requested — personally,  and 
by  letter — to  deny  in  public  that  I  use  intoxicating 
liquor;  for  it  is  reported  that  such  is  the  fact,  etc. 

Now,  how  can  a  man  stand  up  and  say,  "  Ladies 
and  gentlemen,  I  beg  to  assure  you  that  I  do  not 
drink  intoxicating  liquors?"  Just  as  properly  might 
he  announce,  if  accused  of  lying,  "  Ladies  and  gen- 
tlemen, I  assure  you  I  am  not  a  liar."  These  foolish, 
jesting  words  that  touch  a  man's  reputation,  are  so 


244     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

easy  to  say,  though  their  effects  are  not  so  easily 
remedied.  It  is  easy,  too,  to  make  an  accusation  that 
is  hard  to  disprove, — to  say  words  that  sting  those 
who  never  hear  them,  and  cannot  answer  them. 

On  the  27th  of  October  my  father  arrived  in  this 
country,  and  on  the  28th  came  to  my  house.  I  had 
obtained  his  direction,  and  written  to  him  immediately 
on  hearing  that  he  was  living.  I  had  repeatedly 
written  to  him  during  the  past  eight  years ;  but  he 
had  married  again,  and  on  the  death  of  his  wife,  gone 
into  Chelsea  Hospital ;  so  my  letters  failed  to  reach 
him.  An  English  gentleman  in  whom  I  had  become 
interested,  and  to  whom  I  had  been  of  some  service, 
when  leaving  this  country  for  a  visit  home,  asked  me 
what  he  could  do  for  me  in  England.  I  told  him  the 
only  thing  I  could  ask  him  to  do,  was  to  ascertain,  if 
possible,  whether  my  father  was  living,  and  if  so, 
where  he  was.  I  gave  him  all  the  direction  I  could, 
to  enable  him  to  succeed  in  his  search,  and  in  1846,  a 
few  months  after  he  had  left,  he  wrote  me  that  my 
father  was  alive  and  well,  and  sent  me  his  address. 
I  felt  as  Joseph  did,  when  he  said,  "  Is  the  old  man  of 
whom  ye  spake,  your  father,  yet  alive  ?  and  they  said, 
he  is  alive."  I  immediately  wrote  to  him  and  re- 
ceived his  reply,  which  I  have  inserted  in  a  previous 
page.  My  "Autobiography"  had  been  published  in 
England  by  Barton  &  Co.,  of  Holborn  Hill,  London, 
and  my  father  had  obtained  a  copy  of  it.  As  he  was 
desirous  of  coming  to  the  United  States,  I  sent  him 
the  means  to  accomplish  his  desire ;  and  he  came, 
bringing  with  him  a  little  son,  my  half-brother,  about 
five  years  of  age.  Such  a  pleasant  episode  in  my  life 
as  meeting  a  father  I  had  not  seen  for  nineteen,  and 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     245 

had  not  heard  from  for  nearly  eight  years,  could  not 
be  permitted  to  pass  without  an  alloy.  For  my  part, 
I  cannot  understand  the  cruelty  of  some  people.  This 
article  appeared  in  the  papers, — not  exactly  correct, 
however :  "  Mr.  Gough  and  his  Father. — John  Gough, 
the  father  of  John  B.  Gough,  has  arrived  in  this 
country.  He  first  learned  that  his  son  was  in  Amer- 
ica, from  being  asked  by  a  traveling  agent  to  purchase 
his  history." 

The  Boston  "Chronotype"  published  this  article, 
with  the  following  comments :  "  His  son  must  have 
been  still  more  surprised  to  learn  that  his  father  was 
in  America,  for  he  used  to  tell,  as  one  of  his  most  pa- 
thetic tales,  how  he  followed  his  father  to  his  grave, 
in  a  sort  of  Potter's  Field.  Does  not  John  B.  Gough 
owe  it  to  a  curious  and  generous  public,  to  explain  to 
them  how  he  came  by  his  resurrection?" 

This  was  copied  very  extensively,  with  various  com- 
ments. A  Hartford  paper  commented  thus :  "  Prob- 
ably the  story  of  his  father's  death  was  manufactured 
to  order,  like  the  drugged  soda-water  which  stole  away 
his  brains  in  New  York.  John  B.  Gough  is  a  great 
natural  orator,  and  a  smart,  effective  speaker;  but  he 
is  not  so  scrupulous  about  the  truth  as  he  should  be. 
A  man  in  his  position  ought  not  to  prove  himself  a 
hypocrite  in  too  many  things." 

Many  of  the  newspapers  defended  me,  stating  that 
my  "Autobiography"  had  been  published,  and  been 
before  the  public  for  more  than  three  years,  and  that 
it  was  my  mother — not  my  father — who  was  buried  in 
Potter's  Field.  Several  of  the  newspapers,  in  extracts 
that  I  have  before  me,  took  the  "  Chronotype  "  to  task, 
and  said  some  severe  things.  One  extract  I  give  : 
16 


246     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

"The  story  originated  with  the  'Chronotype'  of  this 
city,  in  which  other  interesting  items  pertaining  to 
Mr.  Gough,  have  at  different  times  appeared;  evi- 
dently, by  the  same  disingenuous  individual, — by  no 
means  the  editor;"  and  after  stating  that  the  story  is 
erroneous,  that  Mr.  Gough  never  uttered  such  words, 
goes  on :  "  There  are  probably  several  other  esculents 
of  similar  diminutive  dimensions,  in  the  possession 
of  our  contemporary's  protege,  which  will  doubtless 
be  presented  to  the  gaze  of  an  appreciating  public." 
I  beg  to  state  that  this  article  was  not  from  a  temper- 
ance paper. 

These  articles,  friendly  to  me,  brought  out  a  furious 
one  from  the  "  Chronotype,"  and  a  succession  of  them, 
in  which  I  was  called  a  "sycophantic  weedling,"  a 
"priestly  vassal,"  a  "willful  liar,  or  consummate  ass," 
a  "  religious  thief,"  "  wolfish ; "  and  then — for  no  con- 
ceivable purpose  but  to  wound  where  every  living 
man  feels  most  the  cruelty  of  other's  words  (in  his 
domestic  relations) — my  dead  were  dragged  from  the 
grave,  to  be  pelted  with  the  last  and  worst  epithets 
that  a  desire  to  sting  the  living  could  supply. 

I  do  not  insert  these  things  in  a  spirit  of  bitterness ; 
but  as  I  am  furnishing  my  recollections,  I  deem  it  but 
my  duty,  that  if  the  public  choose  to  know  anything 
about  me,  other  than  they  can  gather  from  my  public 
labors,  they  are  entitled  to  a  record  of  the  trials  and 
battles  of  these  years,  as  well  as  the  enjoyments  and 
prosperities.  I  have  many  pleasant  things  to  record 
— very  pleasant.  The  public  generally,  has  treated 
me  with  the  utmost  kindness  and  liberality ;  the  press 
has  been  generous  and  forbearing  in  its  criticism ;  but 
the  steady,  persistent  opposition  of  some  of  the  tern- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     247 

perance  papers  especially,  has  been  a  mystery  to  me. 
I  know  I  did  not  agree  with  the  "  Washingtonians  " 
in  all  their  declarations  and  proceedings ;  but  then,  a 
man  has  a  right  to  his  opinions,  if  he  can  give  good 
reasons  for  holding  them,  and  I  think  I  did.  If  I  did 
not,  it  was  a  simple  matter  for  criticism  or  debate, — 
not  abuse ;  for  in  expressing  opinions  publicly,  a  man 
exposes  himself  to  criticism;  and  I  know  I  have 
never  complained  of  that,  provided  it  was  fair,  no 
matter  how  severe.  I  think — indeed,  I  know — that  I 
have  been  benefited  by  criticism,  and  I  thank  every 
honest,  fair  critic.  But  the  continual  opposition  and 
defamation  are,  to  me,  unaccountable. 

One  charge  so  often  brought  against  me,  and  which 
was  a  never-failing  armory  from  whence  to  draw  their 
weapons,  was,  that  I  was  "making  money."  Now  here 
— as  I  shall  soon  dismiss  the  subject,  and  I  desire  that 
my  friends  (and  foes,  if  I  have  any)  shall  know  the 
facts  in  reference  to  my  public  life — I  will  render  a 
statement,  as  correct  as  mathematics,  of  the  sums  aver- 
aged per  night,  for  lectures,  during  my  whole  course. 
I  give  the  receipts  in  Great  Britain,  for  the  two  years 
I  spent  there,  from  August  1, 1853,  to  August  2, 1855, 
and  from  September,  1857,  to  August,  1860,  embody- 
ing them  in  the  statements  for  those  years.  Here  are 
the  years,  and  the  average  receipts  for  lectures : — 

1843,  average  per  lecture, -  $2  77 

1844,  average  per  lecture, 7  29 

1845,  average  per  lecture, 14  42 

1846,  average  per  lecture, 20  52 

1847,  average  per  lecture, 21  06 

1848,  average  per  lecture, 17  28 

1849,  average  per  lecture, 1912 

1850,  average  per  lecture, 24  36 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH. 

1851,  average  per  lecture, $21  80 

1852,  average  per  lecture, 21  67 

1853,  average  per  lecture,  ......  25  33 

1854,  average  per  lecture, -  48  46 

1855,  average  per  lecture, 50  14 

1856,  average  per  lecture, 63  73 

1857,  average  per  lecture, 62  90 

1858,  average  per  lecture, 47  88 

1859,  average  per  lecture,  ------  49  32 

1860,  average  per  lecture,  ------  60  10 

Since  1*860, 1  have  lectured  on  other  topics  a  por- 
tion of  each  year,  and  have  received  a  larger  average ; 
but  if  the  associations  that  employ  me  are  satisfied, 
I  know  not  why  I  should  not  be, — and  outsiders  have 
no  reason  to  grumble.  The  evidence  that  they  are 
content  is,  that  I  refused  last  year  more  than  nine 
hundred  applications  for  my  services;  and  now  (July 
24, 1869)  have  more  than  six  hundred  applications  for 
service  the  coming  season.  I  append  the  average 
from  1860  to  1867,  not  having  made  up  the  account 
for  1868:  — 

1861,  average  per  lecture, $88  37 

1862,  average  per  lecture,  ------  90  83 

1863,  average  per  lecture, 104  94 

1864,  average  per  lecture, 114  80 

1865,  average  per  lecture, 150  62 

1866,  average  per  lecture, 169  78 

1867,  average  per  lecture, 173  39 

Out  of  these  sums  must  come  all  my  expenses 
(either  my  wife,  or  a  traveling  agent  and  clerk,  ac- 
companying me  from  1843),  all  postal  matters,  tele- 
grams, expresses,  frequently  the  pay  of  an  amanuen- 
sis, as  well  as  the  "thousand  and  one"  expenses  inci- 
dent to  a  moving  public  life. 

I  am  often  reported  to  be  rich.     I  have  a  farm  and 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     249 

a  comfortable  home.  In  it  are  many  valuable  books 
and  pictures,  not  a  few  of  them  gifts,  besides  precious 
testimonials  of  esteem  and  gratitude  in  various  forms, 
and  I  have  some  investments.  Should  I  fail  this  year, 
however,  in  ability  to  lal?or  or  do  anything  for  in- 
come (and  I  am  liable  to  accident  or  illness  at  any 
time),  I  could  not,  on  the  interest  of  these  investments, 
retain  my  home  as  it  is  at  present,  with  the  care  of 
those  now  dependent  upon  me  for  support  and  aid  in 
various  ways.  The  question  arises,  "Where  has  it 
gone?"  That  is  a  question  I  am  not  called  upon  to 
answer.  I  am  responsible  only  to  Him  through  whose 
goodness  I  have  received,  who  knows  all  hearts,  and 
who  has  commanded  us  to  "honor  Him  with  our  sub- 
stance." 

This  statement  is  a  digression  which  may  call  for 
an  apology,  but  which,  in  view  of  what  has  been  said 
and  done,  I  thought  ought  to  be  made.  Here  let  it 
stand ;  leaving  me  to  be  glad  of  the  hope  that  to  the 
temperance  cause  will  be  given  the  honor  of  one  of 
its  advocates  seeking  to  advance  it  according  to  his 
ability,  and  his  family  not  "asking  bread"  when  he  is 
laid  aside, — his  work  done.  I  have  never  felt  it  an 
honor  to  the  cause  that  its  chosen  workers  should  be 
so  ill-provided  for  in  its  service,  that  the  posthumous 
testimonial,  or  the  earlier  subscription  paper,  should 
be  the  only  reliance  of  broken  health,  or  support  of 
beloved  ones. 

On  a  fine  May  evening,  I  accompanied  Capt.  Flagg 
to  a  pasture  on  the  hill  west  of  his  farm,  and  was  so 
charmed  with  the  beauty  of  the  prospect  that  I  ex- 
claimed, "  What  a  fine  site  for  a  house  !" 

"Why  do  you  not  buy  this  strip  of  twenty-five 


250     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

acres,  more  or  less,  and  build  a  house  ?"  was  the  Cap- 
tain's reply. 

Almost  on  the  instant,  I  had  agreed  to  take  the 
land.  On  the  22d  of  August  (iny  birthday)  the  cor- 
ner-stone of  my  house  was  laid.  Deacon  Moses  Grant, 
G.  W.  Bungay,  F.  W.  Kellogg,  and  some  other  friends 
were  present,  and  spent  the  day  with  me.  It  seemed 
a  great  undertaking  to  make  a  home  for  myself  and 
wife.  Many  friends  have  asked  why  I  chose  a  spot  so 
far  from  the  city, — five  miles  from  "Worcester,  and  two 
miles  from  anywhere  else.  The  fact  is,  I  had  become 
weary  of  city  life,  and  longed  for  the  country.  Being 
pleased  with  this  situation,  I  purchased  twenty-six 
acres,  built  my  house,  and  planted  trees.  Since  that 
time,  I  have  added  to  it,  and  now,  I  trust  with  a  grate- 
ful heart,  sit  with  my  friends  under  the  shade  of  the 
trees  my  hand  has  planted. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Continued  Work — Examples  of  the  Power  of  Drink — Letter  from  an 
Englishman — His  History — Visit  to  Montreal — Address  to  the  Sol- 
diers— Work  in  Detroit — Flowers  from  the  Children — Interview 
with  a  Young  Lady — Case  of  Reform. 

DURING  the  next  year  (1849)  from  January  1st  to 
July  5th,  I  was  busily  employed,  with  the  exception  of 
a  few  weeks  in  the  summer, — the  record  of  which,  in 
my  journal,  is  simply,  "  resting,  recruiting,  farming, 
and  doing  as  we  please."  Afterwards  I  passed  through 
New  York  State,  up  and  down  the  Hudson  River,  and 
on  the  line  of  the  New  York  Central  Railroad,  diverg- 
ing, occasionally,  to  towns  lying  off  the  more  traveled 
route.  From  September  10th  to  November  27th,  I 
labored  in  Eastern  New  York,  visiting  Saratoga,  Balls- 
ton,  and  towns  in  that  direction ;  from  the  6th  to  the 
21st  of  December,  in  New  York  and  vicinity,  and  then 
to  Western  New  York,  concluding  the  year's  work  in 
Geneva.  Nothing  remarkable  occurred  during  the 
year.  I  worked  peaceably  and  with  great  delight, 
although  I  came  in  contact — as  I  have  ever,  while 
engaged  in  this  work — with  evidences  of  the  terrible 
evil  of  intemperance.  A  record  of  the  cases  brought 
under  my  notice,  and  with  which  I  became  personally 
acquainted,  would  be  an  awful  revelation.  I  received 
letters  from  wretched,  almost  hopeless,  victims  of  this 
vice,  constantly.  I  could  fill  my  book  with  extracts. 


254     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

I  was  steadily  working  for  temperance,  and  neces- 
sarily became  familiar  with  these  facts ;  and  I  give 
the  darker  shades  of  human  experience,  hoping  that 
some  who  read  may  be  terrified  at  the  fascination  of 
drink,  or  appalled  at  the  power  of  appetite,  when 
once  it  fastens  its  fangs  upon  the  victim.  What  will 
not  men  do,  and  suffer,  to  gratify  this  craving  desire 
for  stimulants? 

I  know  a  case — know  the  man  well — who  was 
cursed  with  this  appetite ;  he  was  a  good  workman, 
and  no  fault  could  be  found  with  him,  except  as  con- 
nected with  drinking.  His  employer  was  loth  to  lose 
his  services,  and  besides,  felt  a  personal  interest  in 
him.  He  agreed — after  a  terrible  debauch,  during 
which  he  was  absent  from  the  shop  for  more  than  a 
week — that  his  employer  should  retain  all  his  earn- 
ings, purchasing  for  him  necessary  articles,  but  not 
permitting  him  to  have  a  cent  in  his  possession.  He 
continued  for  nearly  a  month  sober,  and  steady  at  his 
work,  when  one  afternoon  he  became  restless  and 
uneasy,  his  enemy  struggling  for  the  mastery;  the 
desire  for  drink  grew  so  strong  that  he  could  not 
stand  still;  nervously  moving  about  the  shop,  his 
mouth  feverish,  his  tongue  dry,  his  skin  hot,  with  a 
longing  past  description  for  drink, — but  how  to  get 
it?  He  could  procure  no  money;  he  had  no  credit. 
Holding  his  hand  to  his  mouth,  he  began  to  writhe  as 
if  in  pain,  and  when  asked  what  was  the  matter,  com- 
plained of  a  raging  toothache,  and  declared  he  must 
have  a  tooth  extracted.  His  employer,  pitying  his 
suffering,  gave  him  half  a  dollar,  which  was  the  usual 
charge  for  the  operation.  He  went  out,  and,  know- 
ing that  he  would  be  expected  to  bring  with  him  the 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     255 

extracted  tooth,  actually  induced  a  man  to  pull  his 
tooth  for  twenty-five  cents.  He  brought  back  the 
tooth  to  the  shop,  and  was  drunk  before  night, — went 
to  his  boarding-house  staggering,  having  purchased  a 
quantity  of  new  rum  with  his  twenty-five  cents. 

You  who  take  your  glass,  and  boast  you  can  let  it 
alone  when  you  choose, — can  you  imagine  a  power 
like  this?  For  drink,  a  man  will  sacrifice  truth, 
honor,  health,  home,  friends,  wife,  children, — aye,  his 
own  life,  and  his  hopes  of  heaven.  Read  this  letter, 
written  to  me  by  a  poor  victim  appealing  from,  the 
depths  of  despair  for  help : — 

Sir, — It  is  a  poor  drunkard  who  addresses  you;  a  young  man,  but 
a  stranger  to  happiness.  Oh,  would  that  I  was  free  from  this  cursed 
vice  which  now  hangs  about  me  !  Would  that  I  could  once  more  be  a 
man, — but  I  fear  it  is  too  late  !  Oh,  my  dear  sir,  you  know  too  truly 
the  miseries  of  a  drunkard's  life  !  See  me,  if  you  can,  and  I  will  tell 
you  what  I  cannot  write.  Oh,  for  the  sake  of  a  young  and  lovely 
wife,  whom  I  love  most  dearly,  would  I  again  become  a  sober  man, 
and  enjoy  the  happiness  that  once  was  mine,  but  which  was  thrown 
away  for  the  sparkling  wine.  There  was  hell  at  the  bottom,  though! 
Oh,  Mr.  Gough,  do  come  and  see  me ;  you  know  not  the  misery  I  am 
in  !  I  am  a  drunkard;  but  let  me  find  a  sympathizing  friend  in  you, 
although  a  stranger.  With  much  respect,  I  remain,  dear  sir,  yours. 

I  have  scores  of  such  letters.  Poor  drunkard !  what 
an  accumulation  of  horrors  seem  to  gather  round  that 
term,  drunkard.  The  life  of  a  drunkard — 0  heavens 
and  earth !  0  angels,  men,  and  devils !  What  a 
theme — running  through  cherub  infancy,  through 
wasted  youth,  to  blasted  manhood  !  Days  of  alternate 
reveling  and  cursing ;  a  life  of  unrelieved  misery ;  a 
death  of  shame  and  anguish.  Read  Charles  Lamb's 
"  Confessions  of  a  Drunkard."  How  the  drink  destroys 
genius !  Some  one  has  said,  "  The  effect  of  wine  on 


256     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

genius  is  to  make  it  sparkle  and  burn."  Yes,  to  burn 
out ;  while  the  occasional  flashes  only  serve  to  reveal 
still  more  the  blackness  of  the  ruin.  The  most  painful 
and  pitiful  cases  I  have  known,  were  those  of  educated 
men.  The  farther  a  man  falls,  the  deeper  he  goes, — 
is  as  true  in  morals,  as  it  is  in  physics.  In  1845,  I 
received  the  following  letter  from  one  with  whose 
career  from  that  time,  I  was  intimately  acquainted : 

PHILADELPHIA,  Monday,  January  13,  1845. 

I  was  present  at  your  lecture  last  night,  and  desire  to  add  one  fact 
to  your  already  terribly  interesting  list.  Read  it,  sir.  I  shall  be 
among  your  auditory,  and  after  your  address  will  see  you.  R. 

I  am  an  Englishman.  When  a  child  I  had  all  the  advantages  that 
a  religious  education  could  confer.  My  father  was  the  managing  clerk 
of  the  establishment,  of  which  he  is  at  this  time  the  head.  I  was 
clever,  as  they  said,  very  clever,  because  I  threw  off  verses  to  any 
seekers  after  such  light  ware.  Well,  I  went  to  parties, — Christmas 
parties,  picnic  parties,  Dorcas  parties, — and  bits  of  cake  and  glasses  of 
wine  made  me  look  at  life  through  a  rose-colored  medium.  At  four- 
teen years  of  age,  I  was  apprenticed  to  a  surgeon,  and,  though  my 
father's  limited  means  prevented  his  sending  me  to  a  classical  school,  I, 
by  sitting  up  three  nights  out  of  six,  for  two  months,  managed  to  beat 
fifteen  competitors  in  the  Latin  examination,  which  was  preliminary  to 
the  general  medical  ordeal  at  the  Apothecaries'  Hall,  London.  I  pro- 
gressed in  my  profession,  and  was  on  the  first  step  of  prosperity's  ladder ; 
from  that  I  stooped  to  take  a  few  glasses,  and,  after  staggering  up 
two  or  three  more,  I  fell,  and  was  laughed  at  by  those  whom  1  had 
once  contemptuously  designated  "  snails  of  the  profession." 

I  happened  to  have  a  literary  taste,  and,  without  bragging,  I  say,  that 
when  I  wrote  without  the  stimulus  of  alcohol,  I  never  had  an  article 
of  mine  rejected.  I  take  it  this  is  no  vain  boasting,  for  "  Blackwood's 
Magazine,"  "Frazer's,"  the  "London  New  Monthly,"  and  "Punch," 
have  printed,  and  paid  for,  my  productions.  Had  I  not  drank,  I  might 
have  been  rich  from  this  source  alone.  I  married  my  first,  my  only 
love.  She  did  not  think  me  intemperate;  nor  did  I  think  so  then. 
The  habit  was  growing.  Wedding  parties,  and  the  whirl  of  casual 
acquaintance,  brought  round  wine.  My  poor  wife  once  hinted — only 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     257 

hinted  to  me — that  I  had  better  not  drink;  but  I  did;  and  what  was 
the  consequence?  I  lost  sixteen  hundred  pounds  in  two  years,  by  my 
business,  which  I  paid  the  good  will  for;  and  tried  again.  Again  I 
was  prospering,  and  raised  sufficient  to  start  a  newspaper.  It  suc- 
ceeded. I  was  caressed  by  the  party  I  belonged  to,  and  belong  to  still. 
I  drank — sold  the  paper.  It  is  living  now  in  England,  a  good  prop- 
erty, and  1  have  no  share  in  it.  Children  came, — one,  the  eldest,  is  a 
thoughtful-eyed  girl,  now  eleven  years  of  age;  the  second,  golden- 
haired  Kitty,  is  nine ;  and  my  boy,  Willie,  is  seven.  My  wife  and  my 
little  ones  are  living  away  from  me, — and  why?  I  never  said  an  un- 
kind word  to  either;  never  beat  my  wife;  never  threatened  my  little 
ones, — they  would  jump  to  see  me  now, — but  I  drank,  and  neglected 
them.  My  family  and  hers  saw  what  I  did  not  see,  and  in  hot  haste  I 
signed  a  deed  of  separation.  But  in  heart  we  are  yet,  I  believe,  one. 

One  bitter  recollection  remains :  I  alone  am  to  blame  for  being 
three  thousand  miles  away  from  any  individual  who  cares  for  me.  I 
was  walking  one  day  with  my  little  Kate,  in  a  church-yard  in  Bristol, 
England,  when  my  child  said  to  me,  "Funerals  are  solemn,  papa,  not 
dismal."  Would  she  not  have  considered  the  drunkard's  funeral  the 
most  dismal  spectacle  in  the  world  ? 

I  have,  sir,  signed  the  pledge,  and  to  you  I  render  the  thanks  of  one 
who  can  appreciate  your  devotion  to  a  noble  cause,  and  who  knows,  by 
bitter  experience,  the  consequences  of  a  friendly  glass. 

I  sought  him  out,  and  found  him  in  a  wretched 
condition.  I  took  him  to  New  York,  kept  him  at  the 
Croton  Hotel  for  two  weeks,  then  brought  him  to 
Boston,  and  kept  him  in  my  own  house  for  some 
months.  He  first  attracted  notice  by  a  series  of  arti- 
cles published  in  the  "Boston  Atlas,"  entitled,  "Pen 
and  Ink  Sketches  by  a  Cosmopolitan."  He  was  soon 
received  favorably  into  the  select  literary  circles  of 
the  city.  I  was  once  invited  to  the  house  of  the  late 
Abbott  Lawrence,  solely  because  he  was  at  that  time 
a  member  of  my  family.  He  wrote,  "  Local  Loiter- 
ings,"  for  the  "Boston  Journal;"  furnished  articles 
for  annuals  and  magazines.  He  was  genial,  and  pos- 


258     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

sessed  the  faculty  of  making  himself  very  agreeable. 
He  was.  quick  in  composition.  On  one  occasion,  he 
was  present  at  a  lecture  of  mine  in  which  I  used  the 
expression  "  before  and  behind."  He  then  and  there, 
on  the  impulse  of  the  moment,  wrote  on  a  slip  of 
paper,  a  little  practical  play  on  the  words.  I  give  an 
extract : — 

Before  and  behind,  before  and  behind ; 
'Twere  well  if  we  often  felt  inclined 
To  keep  those  two  little  words  in  mind, 

Which  are  pregnant  with  joy  and  sorrow ; 
Many  a  story  of  weal  and  of  woe 
This  brace  of  significant  syllables  show, 
From  which  we  may  all.  as  through  life  we  go, 

Instruction  and  warning  borrow. 

For  instance  :  just  look  at  the  bar-room  screen, 
Which  stands  the  bar  and  the  street  between, 
To  prevent  death's  doings  from  being  seen 

By  the  passers  by  on  the  paving. 
Before  it,  sobriety  gravely  goes, 
With  its  cheek  of  bloom  and  its  lip  of  rose ; 
Behind  it,  drunkenness  brews  its  woes, — 
Bodies  and  souls  enslaving. 

Then  follow  nine  stanzas  describing  the  drunkard's 
course,  and  concluding  with: — 

We  may  wisdom  reap  from  the  simplest  thing, 

If  fancy  will  only  unfold  her  wing  ; 

E'en  where  evil  lies  coiled  up  with  venomous  sting,— 

And  it's  not  very  hard  to  find  it. 
So  take  my  rhymes,  and  the  moral  they  preach, — 
For  a  simple  contrast  like  this  may  teach, — 
And  before  the  screen,  let  me  beg  and  beseech 

You,  never  to  go  behind  it. 

I  have  the  whole,  just  as  he  wrote  it  in  that  meet- 
ing, with  but  two  erasures  or  alterations. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     259 

Early  in  1846,  he  returned  to  England.  While 
there,  he  sought  for  and  found  my  father, — as  I  have 
before  stated.  We  soon  heard  he  had  fallen,  and  was 
drinking.  Rev.  Dr.  Choules,  of  Newport,  induced 
him  to  come  again  to  this  country.  I  met  him  in 
New  York  in  1848.  From  that  time  till  the  day  of 
his  death,  I  worked  to  save  him,  as  I  never  labored 
for  any  other  victim  of  this  vice.  He  wrote  the 
"Passages  from  the  history  of  a  wasted  life,"  giving 
in  that,  a  portion  of  his  own  experience.  But  all 
effort  was  in  vain.  Friend  after  friend  held  out  a 
helping  hand.  I  offered  him  a  refuge  in  my  own 
house,  which  he  refused.  He  would  write  me  the 
most  abusive  letters  when  drunk,  and  afterwards  oner 
apologies.  He  wore  out  the  patience  of  his  friends, 
and  on  one  occasion — I  think  it  was  the  last  appeal 
to  him  I  ever  made — he  said,  after  my  pleading  with 
him  to  give  up  drink  for  the  sake  of  wife,  children, 
and  his  owrn  soul:  "No,  no!  Why,  John  Gough, 
Dives  in  hell  never  longed  for  a  drop  of  water  on  his 
cracked  tongue  as,  with  all  the  power  I  have  left  me, 
I  long  for  drink ;  and  I'll  have  it."  And  he  did ;  and 
died  in  a  wretched  condition  in  Brooklyn,  a  year  or 
two  since. 

How  terrible  the  sufferings  of  these  men, — knowing, 
as  they  do,  that  it  is  ruin  and  death  to  go  on;  and 
yet  unable  to  stop.  A  Member  of  Congress  said  once 
in  my  presence:  "Gentlemen,  I  w^ould  give  my  right 
hand,  cut  off  at  the  wrist,  if  I  could  quit  the  drink; 
but  I  can't!" — and  in  six  weeks  after,  destroyed  his 
life  in  a  most  frightful  manner.  The  beginning  of 
such  a  career,  is  with  social  companions,  amid  the 
glitter,  and  sparkle,  and  poetry  of  conviviality;  but 


260     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B,  GOUGH. 

in  the  end,  it  is  to  get  drunk.  Alone  he  will  gulp 
down  glass  after  glass  of  anything  that  will  gratify 
his  morbid  craving.  No  outbreak  or  convivial  cheer, 
no  romance, — but  a  mad,  furious  desire  to  get  drunk. 
Anything  that  will  produce  this  effect,  he  will  drink. 
Tell  him  he  drinks  poison, — he  knows  that,  yet  drinks 
on.  Tell  him  he  drinks  oil  of  vitriol,  oil  of  turpen- 
tine, sulphuric  acid, — that  the  tap  he  is  drinking  at 
spouts  corroding  fire ;  he  knows  it,  and  drinks  on, — 
drinks  himself  to  death!  Victims  of  this  vice  have 
been  known  to  drink  camphor,  cologne  water,  spirits 
in  which  reptiles  have  been  preserved,  even  cam- 
phene;  in  short,  any  liquid  that  will  start  the  stag- 
nant blood  in  the  vessels  of  the  diseased  stomach. 
Young  men,  you  are  safe,  forever  safe  from  this 
terrible  curse,  if  you  never  drink.  It  is  a  simple 
preventive.  I  say  not  that  you  will  surely  suffer 
these  torments  if  you  drink;  I  only  tell  you  that 
you  may,  and  the  mere  risk  of  such  a  fate,  should 
prompt  you  to  do  as  did  the  Indian,  who,  when  of- 
fered a  glass  of  rum,  seized  it,  and,  dashing  it  to  the 
ground,  said:  "Ah!  men  call  you  devil;  but,  devil  as 
you  are,  I'm  your  master." 

In  1850,  my  work  was  in  the  State  of  New  York 
till  the  first  of  May,  when  I  returned  home  for  a 
month's  rest,  and  commenced  on  the  first  of  June  in 
New  York,  going  on  through  Buffalo  to  Cleveland 
and  Detroit ;  then  home,  from  July  6th  to  September 
6th,  resting,  farming,  and  recruiting.  Starting  again 
in  Boston,  September  7th,  I  proceeded,  after  a  few  lec- 
tures in  Massachusetts,  to  New  York,  Troy,  and  up 
Lake  Champlain,  to  Rouse's  Point,  and  Montreal,  go- 
ing as  far  as  Quebec;  returning,  pa'ssed  through  Can- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     261 

ada  to  Kingston,  Toronto,  and  Hamilton,  crossing  over 
to  Buffalo,  and  through  New  York  State  home,  on 
November  27th;  rested  till  December  llth;  spoke  in 
New  York  on  the  12th,  and  continued  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  city,  finishing  the  year  at  Jersey  City.  At 
Eochester  I  gave  five  lectures ;  in  Buffalo,  eighteen ; 
Lockport,  five;  Penn  Yan,  six;  Detroit,  ten;  Cleve- 
land, five;  Montreal,  twelve ;  Quebec,  eight;  Kingston, 
six;  Toronto,  ten;  and  Hamilton,  seven; — all  in  suc- 
cession— that  is,  a  continuous  course  of  lectures  in 
these  places. 

While  in  Montreal,  Sir  J.  Alexander  called  on  me, 
and  asked  if  I  would  address  the  soldiers  of  the  garri- 
son. I  was  happy  to  do  this,  and  accordingly  I  had  a 
very  fine  audience  of  the  Twentieth  Regiment,  with 
their  officers,  at  the  Gosport  §treet  Church,  where 
two  hundred  men  signed  the  pledge,  and  I  was  then 
addressed  by  the  men,  through  the  commanding  offi- 
cer, Lieut.-Col.  Horn.  Some  years  after,  in  England, 
I  met  a  portion  of  that  regiment  at  Devonport,  and 
several  greeted  me,  and  informed  me  that  they  had 
kept  their  pledge.  At  Quebec,  Lieut.-Col.  Hays 
waited  on  me,  to  request  an  address  to  the  military 
there,  as  a  Highland  regiment  was  quartered  at  Cape 
Diamond,  and  the  Nineteenth  Regiment  was  in  gar- 
rison. There  was  a  muster  of  eight  hundred  men  to 
hear  me.  I  also  addressed  the  military  at  Kingston, 
and  Toronto.  I  felt  a  deep  interest  in  these  men,  as 
my  first  recollection  of  my  father,  was  of  seeing  him 
with  his  red  coat  and  trappings. 

In  Buffalo,  during  my  course  of  lectures,  five  thou- 
sand and  eighty-two  persons  signed  the  pledge.  My 
visit  there,  was  exceedingly  pleasant.  I  was  very 


262     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

kindly  received.  In  Detroit,  two  thousand  four  hun- 
dred and  forty-six  signed  the  pledge.  At  first  I  was 
very  much  discouraged  in  Detroit.  I  boarded  at  a 
very  poor  place,  and  no  one  seemed  to  take  an  inter- 
est in  me  or  my  work.  My  first  speech  was  in  a 
vestry,  to  a  very  small  audience,  and  the  next  day  I 
had  almost  decided  to  leave,  when  a  lady — Mrs.  P.  E. 
Curtis — called  on  me,  and  found  me  "deeply,  darkly, 
beautifully  blue."  She  encouraged  me,  and  told  me 
the  upper  audience  room  of  the  church  would  be 
open  that  night  for  me,  and  I  must  remain.  So  I  did; 
and  never  were  audiences  more  generous  and  enthu- 
siastic, than  in  Detroit ;  and  to  this  day  I  anticipate 
my  visits  to  that  city  with  pleasure.  On  the  after- 
noon previous  to  my  departure,  an  audience  of  chil- 
dren greeted  me,  hundreds  of  whom  brought  bouquets, 
till  I  was  nearly  smothered  with  flowers.  Cards  and 
ribbons  were  attached  to  them.  The  flowers  have 
long  since  faded  to  dust,  but  I  have  the  cards  and 
ribbons  to-day.  The  children  who  assembled  then, 
are  men  and  women  now ;  and  it  is  very  pleasant  for 
me  to  hear,  as  I  occasionally  do  from  some  lady  or 
gentleman,  "  Mr.  Gough,  I  was  one  of  the  children 
who  gave  you  flowers  at  Detroit  in  1850." 

This  year  passed  very  pleasantly  and  peaceably, 
with  only  the  necessary  friction  attending  such  a 
course  of  life  and  labor.  I  look  back  upon  those  days 
of  hard  work,  with  great  satisfaction  and  thankfulness. 
I  occasionally  visited  the  homes  of  the  intemperate, 
and  often  was  instrumental  in  doing  them  some  good. 
I  know  the  term  brute  is  often  used  in  reference  to 
the  drunkard,  but  they  are  not  brutes — they  are  men ; 
debased,  degraded,  and  brutalized,  if  you  will;  but 


AUTOBIOGEAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     263 

strip  from  them,  the  influences  of  drink,  and  we  find 
them  men;  and,  in  many  cases,  with  hearts  as  warm, 
feelings  as  tender,  and  sensibilities  as  keen  as  others 
possess.  Dickens  says  of  Mrs.  Todgers, — "She  was  a 
hard  woman,  yet  in  her  heart,  away  up  a  great  many 
stairs,  there  was  a  door,  and  on  that  door  was  written 
'woman.'"  So,  in  the  heart  of  many  a  drunkard, 
away  up  a  great  many  stairs,  in  a  remote  corner, 
easily  passed  by,  is  a  door.  Tap  on  it  gently,  again 
and  again — persevere — remember  Him  who  knocks 
at  the  door  of  your  hearts,  waiting  for  an  answer,  till 
"His  locks  are  wet  with  the  dew," — and  be  patient ; 
tap  on  lovingly,  gently,  and  the  quivering  lip,  and  the 
starting  tear,  will  tell  that  you  have  been  knocking 
at  a  man's  heart,  not  a  brute's.  This  power  of  drink 
to  dam  and  dry  up  the  fountain  of  love  and  affection 
in  the  heart,  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  we  should 
hate  it.  These  men  are  worth  saving.  Is  it  not 
worth  some  effort  to  lift  the  cloud  from  the  home, 
and  send  a  ray  of  light  into  the  heart  and  on  the 
pathway  of  those  who  are  bound  to  them  by  the  ties 
of  close  relationship  and  affection  ? 

I  was  once  asked  by  Mr.  Grant  to  call  on  two  young 
ladies,  who  had  desired  to  see  me.  I  went  to  the 
house,  was  shown  into  a  room,  and  received  by  a 
young  lady  who  motioned  me  to  a  seat.  As  I  sat 
there  for  a  few  moments,  waiting  for  her  to  speak  to 
me,  I  gave  a  glance  round  the  room.  There  were 
evidences  of  better  days  "lang  syne,"  though  I  shiv- 
ered, for  there  was  no  fire  in  the  grate,  and  the 
weather  was  cold,  when  the  young  lady  said:  "Mr. 
Gough,  my  sister  intended  to  meet  you  with  me ;  but 

she  has  sprained  her  ankle,  and  is  unable  to  see  you. 
17 


264     AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHX  B.  GOUGH. 

My  mother  has  been  confined  to  her  room  for  many 
weeks,  and  to  her  bed  for  some  days.  0,  sir,  it  is  hard 
for  a  daughter  to  speak  of  a  father's  intemperance ; 
but  what  can  I  do  ?  I  have  sent  for  you  as  a  last  re- 
sort. My  father  is  good  and  kind,  when  free  from 
drink ;  but  when  under  its  influence,  is  cruel — he  ac- 
tually robs  us  of  the  common  necessaries  of  life — and 
I  would  not  ask  you  to  sit  in  a  cold  room,  had  we  ma- 
terials for  a  fire."  I  involuntarily  glanced  at  a  piano- 
forte that  stood  in  a  corner  of  the  room.  She  noticed 
it,  and  said  very  quickly :  "  You  may  think  that  gride 
and  poverty  go  together ;  and  they  do.  You  won- 
der why  I  do  not  sell  my  piano-forte.  I  cannot  sell  it. 
My  father  bought  it  for  me  on  my  birthday  years 
ago.  It  is  like  an  old  friend.  I  learned  to  play  on  it. 
Mother  loves  to  hear  the  tunes  that  remind  us  of 
days  gone  by — I  fear  forever.  My  father  has  asked 
me  to  sell  it ;  and  suppose  I  did  ?  It  would  but  pro- 
cure him  the  means  of  intoxication  for  a  time,  and  we 
should  be  little  better  for  the  sale.  I  cannot  sell  it.  I 
will  not  part  from  my  piano,  unless  my  father  takes  it 
away  by  force." 

I  left  them.  Mr.  Grant  sent  them  provisions  and 
wood.  In  a  day  or  two  I  called  again.  The  father 
was  there.  After  a  short  conversation  he  said,  to  my 
surprise:  "Mr.  Gough,  have  you  a  pledge  with  you?" 
"I  have."  "I  will  sign  it."  I  immediately  produced 
it;  he  at  once  wrote  his  name,  and  stood  up,  a 
pledged  man,  no  more  to  drink  intoxicating  liquor. 
I  watched  the  young  girl  when  he  said,  "I  will  sign." 
She  clasped  her  hands;  with  lips  apart,  her  eager 
eyes  watched  the  pen.  She  seemed  breathlessly  anx- 
ious, till  the  name  was  recorded ; — then  she  sprang  to 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGfH.  265 

him,  twined  her  arms,  as  well  as  she  could,  around 
his  neck  (she  was  a  little  creature).  How  she  clung 
to  his  breast!  Then,  unclasping  her  hands,  she  said: 
"Oh  father,  I  am  proud  of  you.  Mr.  Gough,  he  has 
signed  it;  and  he'll  never  break  it.  I  know  him; 
he'll  never  break  it.  No,  no,  my  father  will  live  a 
sober  man.  0,  father!  father!"  The  tears  were  rain- 
ing down  her  cheeks,  as  he  passed  his  hand  caress- 
ingly over  her  face,  when  she  said:  "Father  you 
spoke  of  selling  the  piano-forte.  We  can  send  for 
Leonard,  and  he  will  sell  it  to-morrow,  and  what  it 
brings  will  pay  what  we  owe,  and  we  shall  have  some- 
thing to  start  with  again,  sha'n't  we,  father  ?  "  Yes, 
the  poor  heart  was  comforted,  and  she  would  give 
her  piano — her  old  friend — cheerfully.  Why  ?  Be- 
cause her  father  would  live  a  sober  man.  Oh !  you 
who  sneer  at  temperance,  and  mock  at  our  pledge, 
come  and  look  at  a  scene  like  this!  And  thank  God! 
there  have  been,  and  will  be  many  like  it. 

There  is  not  a  man  who  has  labored  in  this  field  of 
reform,  but  can  give  you  such  incidents  by  the  score 
— mothers,  sisters,  wives,  and  daughters,  lifted  from 
despair  to  hope,  from  anguish  to  joy.  A  lady  told  me 
her  father  had  been  a  drunkard  for  years ;  had  broken 
his  wife's  heart ; — she  was  the  only  one  left  of  the 
family  that  seemed  to  care  for  him ;  and  she  had  de- 
voted herself  to  him,  watching  him,  nursing  him,  even 
going  to  the  grog-shop  to  take  him  home.  Think  of 
it!  A  young  daughter  leading  home  a  drunken 
father !  She  induced  him  'to  attend  a  lecture  I  gave 
in  Philadelphia,  in  which  I  described  the  sorrows  of 
the  drunkard's  children.  He  sat  there,  his  hands  con- 
vulsively twitching;  then  turning  to  her,  said,  in  a 


266     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

choked  voice,  "Birdie  dear,  did  you  ever  suffer  like 
that  with  me?"  All  she  could  say  was,  "Oh,  father, 
dear  father!"  "Birdie,  I'll  sign  the  pledge;  I  will!" 
"Oh,  father,  dear  father!"  At  the  close  of  the  lec- 
ture, he  came  up  and  signed  it.  "And,"  said  the  lady, 
"from  that  day  he  never  touched  it.  He  lived  but 
six  years  after,  and  died  a  sober  man."  Thank  God 
for  these  green  spots,  these  bright  gleams  of  sunshine 
amid  the  gloom.  I  love  to  call  them  to  mind ;  they 
rest  me  when  weary,  comfort  me  in  trouble,  and  have 
many,  many  times  encouraged  me  when  I  have  been 
despondent. 


CHAPTER  XVIH. 

Journey  to  Pittsburg — Work  in  that  City — Panic  in  Dr.  Heron's 
Church — Cincinnati — Dr.  Fisher's  Church — Wesley  Chapel — Wesley 
College — Albums — Return  Home — Visit  to  Halifax — Address  to  the 
Highlanders — Signs — Speech  in  Coburg— Tearing  my  Coat — Flag 
Presentation — Criticisms  of  Gestures — "  The  Platform  does  it " — 
Power  of  a  Theme — Incident  in  Jersey  City. 

THE  record  of  the  year  1851  is  full  of  incidents, 
but  perhaps  the  relation  will  not  be  interesting  to  the 
reader.  I  delivered  lectures  in  New  York  and  vicinity, 
with  the  exception  of  one  week  at  home,  till  the  23d 
of  January,  when,  having  received  a  pressing  invita- 
tion from  E.  M.  Gregory,  Esq.,  and  several  other  gen- 
tlemen, to  visit  Cincinnati,  we  started  January  28,  my 
wife  and  I,  by  way  of  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore,  to 
Cumberland ;  there,  taking  the  stage  for  Pittsburg,  in- 
tending to  go  by  boat  down  the  Ohio  to  Cincinnati, 
expecting  to  reach  that  city  on  Saturday,  February 
1st.  The  roads  were  in  a  terrible  condition,  and  we 
were  packed  nine  persons  in  a  stage.  Such  tumbling 
and  jolting,  cracking  and  crashing,  I  never  experi- 
enced. That  ride  was  as  disagreeable  in  all  its  feat- 
ures as  it  well  could  be.  Snow  and  mud  in  places,  so 
deep,  that  we  could  make  but  little  headway.  We  left 
Cumberland  at  eight  o'clock,  A.  M.,  on  Wednesday,  and 
by  Thursday  noon  we  decided  to  go  to  Brownsville,  on 
the  Monongahela,  and  take  the  boat  to  Pittsburg ;  and 


268  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF   JOHN    B.  GOUGII. 

glad  enough  we  were  to  leave  the  jolting  stage,  the 
wretched  roads,  and,  more  than  all,  the  swearing 
drivers.  The  awful  profanity  we  were  forced  to  hear 
was  frightful.  It  surpassed  all  I  had  conceived  before 
of  blasphemy.  The  wretched  fellows  seemed  to  glory 
in  it ;  and  every  attempt  to  check  it,  only  made  mat- 
ters worse.  Oaths  and  blasphemous  expressions 
seemed  to  be  invented,  new  methods  of  profanity 
were  adopted  especially  for  our  benefit,  and  we  were 
compelled  to  submit.  The  boat  was  ready  with  steam 
up ;  but  the  ice  was  making  very  fast,  and  progress 
was  not  rapid.  However,  we  reached  Pittsburg  in 
the  evening  of  Thursday,  January  30.  A  boat  was 
advertised  to  start  on  Friday  evening  for  Cincinnati. 
On  inquiry,  we  found  she  would  not  arrive  till  Sun- 
day evening.  The  course  we  had  adopted,  and  mutu- 
ally agreed  to,  was  never  to  travel  on  the  Sabbath 
day,  if  it  was  possible  to  avoid  it;  so,  as  we  were 
housed  at  the  St.  Charles,  we  decided  to  send  a  tele- 
gram to  our  friends,  that  we  would  leave  for  Cincin- 
nati on  Monday,  and  they  must  postpone  any  meet- 
ings they  had  advertised  till  we  could  reach  them. 

On  Friday  some  friends  of  temperance  discovered 
that  we  were  in  the  city,  and  a  deputation  waited  on 
me  to  ascertain  if  I  could  speak  that  night,  if  they 
would  get  up  a  meeting.  I  agreed,  and  delivered  a 
lecture ;  spoke  again  on  Saturday ;  twice  on  Sunday 
— in  the  afternoon  at  the  jail,  and  in  the  evening  at  a 
Presbyterian  Church.  In  the  meantime  the  boat  had 
started ;  but  the  ice  had  formed  in  the  river  so  rapidly, 
that  she  was  held  fast  a  few  miles  below  the  city,  and 
remained  almost  within  sight  of  Pittsburg  till  Sunday 
night,  when  she  got  out  of  the  ice,  and  proceeded  on 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     269 

her  way.  We  heard  afterwards  that  the  passengers, 
some  of  whom  had  ridiculed  the  idea  of  waiting  over, 
because  it  was  Sunday,  were  much  annoyed  that  they 
had  not  followed  our  example.  The  meetings  were  so 
successful,  that  the  friends  telegraphed  to  Cincinnati, 
requesting  permission  for  me  to  remain  a  week.  This 
was  granted,  and  at  the  expiration  of  the  time,  another 
message  was  sent  asking  for  another  week.  This 
also  was  agreed  to,  and  I  continued  two  weeks  in 
that  city,  delivering  sixteen  lectures  there,  and  in 
Alleghany  City,  obtaining  four  thousand  three 'hun- 
dred and  sixty-two  signatures  to  the  pledge.  I  had 
provided  myself  with  a  large  pledge  book,  in  which 
names  were  recorded.  I  have  three  of  such  books 
now,  containing  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  thou- 
sand signatures. 

At  one  of  the  meetings  held  in  Dr.  Heron's  church, 
a  fearful  panic  took  place.  The  church  was  densely 
crowded,  and  during  the  exercises,  a  loud  crash  was 
heard  in  the  gallery ;  instantly  there  was  a  rush  of 
the  people  under  the  galleries  to  the  body  of  the 
house,  and  the  whole  mass  became  fearfully  excited 
— the  women  screamed,  the  men  shouted,  and  in  the 
midst  of  the  swaying  and  surging  of  the  crowd,  the 
stove  was  overturned,  adding  new  terrors  to  the  al- 
most frantic  multitude.  Fortunately  the  fire  was  very 
low,  and  those  in  the  vicinity  soon  prevented,  by  their 
promptness,  any  conflagration.  But  it  seemed  impos- 
sible to  calm  the  excited  people ;  some  jumped  from 
the  windows,  while  many  rushed  to  the  doors,  chok- 
ing up  the  passage.  I  stood  in  the  pulpit ;  and  never 
did  I  witness  just  such  a  scene.  One  frantic  lady 
rushed  up  the  pulpit  stairs,  and  throwing  her  arms 


270     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

round  me,  begged  me  to  save  her :  "  Oh !  Mr.  Gough, 
save  me !  save  me ! "  The  people  in  the  front  gallery, 
knowing  the  cause  of  the  confusion — that  some  one 
had  stepped  on  the  big  fiddle,  which  had  been  left  in 
the  singers'  seats,  causing  the  crash  that  had  startled 
the  people  into  a  panic — were  shouting:  "It's  the 
fiddle ! "  and  amid  the  shrieks  and  cries,  the  ohs !  and 
ahs!  we  could  distinctly  hear,  "Fiddle!"  "Fiddle!" 
— but  had  no  conception  what  the  fiddle  had  to  do 
with  the  turmoil.  Men  stood  on  the  seats,  gesticulat- 
ing violently,  and,  in  their  attempts  to  cairn  the  peo- 
ple, only  made  matters  worse.  At  last  one  man  near 
the  desk,  commenced  singing  in  a  loud  voice:  "From 
Greenland's  icy  mountains,"  etc. ;  others  joined,  till 
quite  a  volume  of  voices  drowned  the  din  in  some 
measure,  and  order  was  restored.  But  there  was  very 
little  more  speaking  that  night.  All  were  in  haste  to 
get  away.  On  the  next  morning  the  scene  in  the 
church  was  amusing ;  bonnets,  hats,  capes,  skirts,  veils, 
strips  of  silk,  shawls,  fans,  dry  goods  in  any  quantity, 
even  shoes  and  boots,  were  strewed  about  the  floor ; 
to  say  nothing  of  pins,  buttons,  jewelry,  hair  (not 
quite  so  much  of  that  as  there  would  have  been  in 
these  days),  combs,  and  various  other  small  articles 
too  numerous  to  mention.  A  cart  was  filled  with  the 
remnants,  which  were  taken  to  the  police  office  to  be 
claimed.  There  was  a  ludicrous  side  to  it;  yet, 
though  no  one  was  seriously  hurt,  I  never  wish  to  see 
such  a  panic  as  I  witnessed  in  Dr.  Heron's  church  in 
Pittsburg,  in  February,  1851. 

We  left  the  smoky,  hospitable  city,  with  the  best 
wishes  of  many  friends  we  had  made,  and  arrived  at 
Cincinnati  two  weeks  later  than  we  had  intended. 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     271 

Our  visit  there  was  a  memorable  one.  Several  times 
I  was  compelled  to  obtain  an  entrance  to  the  church 
by  the  window.  At  Dr.  Fisher's  church,  a  ladder  was 
placed  against  the  window  back  of  the  pulpit.  I 
hesitated,  as  the  feat  of  climbing  seemed  dangerous. 
Dr.  Lyman  Beecher  said:  "I'll  go  first;  follow  me." 
One  other  gentleman  followed,  and,  encouraged  by 
their  success,  I  ventured.  It  was  almost  comical  to 
see  the  Doctor  drive  his  hat  more  firmly  on  his  head, 
as  he  prepared  for  the  ascent;  but,  taking  a  firm  hold, 
up  he  went,  chuckling  to  himself  all  the  way. 

Altogether,  I  held  twenty-seven  meetings  on  that 
visit,  principally  in  "Wesley  Chapel.  I  spoke  to  fire- 
men, to  children,  to  ladies,  and  visited  schools.  At 
the  Wesley  College  I  spoke,  and  was  asked  by  a 
young  lady  to  write  the  pledge  in  her  "album."  I 
did  so ;  when  another,  and  another  brought  albums, — 
till  I  had  written  in  one  hundred  and  forty-three 
of  these  books.  I  often,  on  my  travels,  see  one  of 
these  albums  with  the  writing  in  it,  and  it  recalls 
very  pleasantly  the  delightful  afternoon  I  spent  at 
"Wesley  College.  On  invitation,  I  visited  the  clas- 
sical school  of  Mr.  Heron,  and  addressed  the  boys. 
At  the  conclusion  of  my  speech,  the  young  gentle- 
men presented  to  me,  through  one  of  their  number, 
in  a  neat  speech,  a  gold  pencil-case,  which  I  priz& 
very  highly.  This  little  episode  was  very  pleasant 
to  me,  for  a  recognition  by  the  youth,  of  my  endeav- 
ors to  serve  them,  has  ever  been  exceedingly  gratify- 
ing. On  the  occasion  of  addressing  young  men  ex- 
clusively, at  the  close  of  my  lecture,  I  invited  any 
young  man  who  chose  to  sign  the  pledge,  to  pass 
through  the  pulpit,  and  affix  his  name.  More  than 


272     AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

three  hundred  young  men  walked  up  the  stairs  on 
one  side,  descending  on  the  other,  leaving  their  names 
on  the  pledge,  lying  on  the  cushions  of  the  pulpit. 
How  many  were  faithful  to  the  promise  they  made. 
God  knows.  Some  have  kept  it,  and  are  thankful 
to-day  that  they  then  bade  farewell  forever  to  intoxi- 
cating drink.  The  total  number  of  names  obtained 
in  Cincinnati  during  that  visit,  was  seven  thousand 
six  hundred  and  forty-nine. 

I  continued  in  Ohio, — visiting  Indianapolis,  Aurora, 
and  Madison,  in  Indiana, — lecturing  constantly  till  the 
12th  of  June,  when  I  left  Cleveland,  reaching  my 
home  on  the  14th,  and  rested  till  July  4th ;  working 
with  an  occasional  respite,  till  the  26th  ;  remained  on 
the  farm  till  August  25th,  when  I  left  on  the  steamer 
Europe  for  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia.  I  continued  there 
for  more  than  a  week,  delivering  nine  lectures.  I 
had  an  opportunity  of  addressing  the  famous  Forty- 
Second  Highlanders,  then  stationed  at  Halifax.  An 
English  paper  stated,  three  years  after,  that  "many 
of  the  men  were  all  the  better  for  it." 

In  passing  through  the  city,  I  had  noticed  a  sign 
hung  up  in  front  of  a  low  drinking  house*,  with  a 
daub  of  a  picture,  representing  a  half-intoxicated 
soldier  in  the  Highland  costume,  a  bottle  in  one  hand 
and  a  pipe  in  the  other;  "The  Jolly  Highland  Sol- 
dier," in  red  letters  beneath.  In  the  course  of  my 
address  to  the  soldiers,  I  told  them  what  I  had  seen, 
and  asked  them  if  the  publican  dared  to  exhibit  the 
picture  of  a  drunken  lawyer,  a  drunken  doctor,  or  a 
drunken  minister,  or  even  a  "Jolly  Highland  Officer?" 
No !  He  associated  the  Highland  soldier  with  drunk- 
enness. It  was  an  insult  to  them,  and  to  the  "Garb 


ATJTOBIOGKAPHT    OF   JOHN    B.  GOUGH.  273 

of  old  Gaul,"  of  which  they  were  proud.  The  next 
day  the  sign  disappeared.  A  deputation  of  the  men 
had  waited  on  the  proprietor,  with  a  very  emphatic 
request  that  the  offending  sign  should  be  taken  down. 
I  heard  of  a  sign  that  was  taken  down  in  Connecticut, 
because  it  told  too  much  truth.  The  rum-seller's 
name  was  Solomon  Camp,  and  being  economical  of 
space,  he  directed  the  painter  to  inscribe,  "S.  Camp's 
Tavern."  The  artist  omitted  the  space  and  dot,  and 
it  appeared,  "Scamp's  Tavern."  All  have  heard  of 
the  "Seven  last  Plagues  for  sale  here."  A  peculiar 
name  for  a  grog-shop  is,  "The  Silent."  Another, 
"The  Bite  Tavern;"  another,  "The  Shades."  One  I 
saw  was  the  "  Spider ; "  and  on  the  blinds  was  painted 
an  enormous  web,  with  unfortunate  flies  entangled  in 
the  meshes. 

We  left  Halifax,  by  the  steamer  America  on  the  3d 
of  September,  arriving  home  on  the  4th.  I  went 
again  to  Canada  on  the  20th,  remaining  there,  and 
lecturing  through  the  Province, — delivering  seven 
more  speeches  in  Montreal, — till  November  5th,  when 
I  returned  to  New  England,  concluding  the  year's 
work  at  Birmingham,  Connecticut. 

The  journal  of  1852,  differs  little  from  the  others, 
being  simply  the  record  of  work.  In  Connecticut  till 
March  18.  Afterwards  to  Canada,  till  June  26.  Then 
home  for  a  rest  till  September  14.  Again  spending  a 
month  in  Canada,  and  from  November  11,  to  the  close 
of  the  year,  lecturing  in  Massachusetts  and  Connecti- 
cut ;  finishing  the  year's  work  in  New  Haven. 

In  Colburg,  Canada,  I  met  with  rather  a  comical 
accident.  Speaking  with  great  energy,  I  made  a  vio- 
lent gesture  with  both  hands,  and  tore  mv  coat  in  the 


2*74  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OP  JOHN   B.  GOUGII. 

back,  from  the  skirt  to  the  collar.  When  I  heard  the 
rip,  and  felt  the  thing  go,  I  said,  without  thought, 
"  There !  I've  torn  my  coat."  The  chairman  of  the 
meeting,  who  was  the  Mayor  of  the  city,  quickly  re- 
plied, "  I  see  you  have."  The  audience  laughed ;  but 
I  was  in  a  quandary.  I  could  make  no  gesture ;  I 
could  only  flap  my  fins  like  a  fish ;  if  I  attempted  to 
stretch  out  my  hands,  the  abomination  came  forward 
so  absurdly,  that  I  dared  not  attempt  a  motion,  and 
so  concluded  my  address  under  some  embarrassment. 
The  next  morning  the  mayor,  with  two  other  gentle- 
men, called  on  me  and  introduced'  a  tailor,  who  took 
my  measure,  and  before  I  left  the  city,  a  committee  of 
gentlemen  waited  on  me,  and  made  a  formal  presenta- 
tion of  a  new  coat,  with  a  neat  speech.  I  wras  expected 
to  reply ;  and  those  who  have  been  placed  in  a  similar 
position  will  agree  with  me,  that  it  is  a  very  awkward 
one.  When  called  on  to  make  an  acknowledgment 
to  a  presentation  speech,  you  feel  half  ashamed  to 
take  the  gift;  you  feel  grateful  for  the  kindness;  you 
hardly  know  how  to  express  yourself;  fearful  of  say- 
ing too  much  or  too  little.  So,  when  the  presentation 
was  made,  I  said:  "Gentlemen,  I  thank  you  for  your 
gift  to  me ;  and  now,  as  this  is  the  result  of  my  acci- 
dent, permit  me  to  say,  I  almost  wish  I  had  torn  my 
trowsers  too ; " — not  a  very  strong  expression  of  grati- 
tude, nor  very  polite;  but  the  gentlemen  took  it  in 
good  part,  and  we  were  very  merry  together  for  an 
hour.  Public  speakers  are  liable  to  these  embarrass- 
ments. 

I  was  once  requested  by  the  committee  of  a  tem- 
perance society  at  a  few  minutes'  notice,  to  receive, 
on  their  behalf,  a  flag  presented  to  them  by  the 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     275 

ladies.  The  exercises  were  held  in  a  grove,  and  a 
pole  had  been  erected,  that  the  flag  might  be  dis- 
played immediately  on  its  presentation;  a  band  of 
music  was  in  readiness  to  strike  up,  "Our  Flag  is 
There!"  All  arrangements  were  completed;  a  young 
lady,  bright  looking,  prettily  dressed,  and  ornamented 
for  the  occasion,  was  appointed  to  present  the  flag  in 
a  speech,  which  she  had  committed  to  memory.  Un- 
fortunately no  one  had  been  appointed  to  hold  the 
flag  during  the  presentation,  and  as  she  ascended  the 
platform  and  took  her  place,  previous  to  her  speech, 
the  great  roll  of  bunting  was  placed  in  her  arms.  It 
evidently  confused  her,  as  she  could  hardly  see  me, 
where  I  stood  opposite  her,  ready  to  receive  it, — the 
huge  bundle  almost  hiding  her  face.  The  audience 
were  in  expectation,  when  the  poor  young  lady  com- 
menced: "Sir," — a  pause.  I  bowed.  Again,  "Sir," — 
I  bowed  the  second  time.  Then,  with  a  half  sob,  she 
said  softly, "  Sir,"— to  which  I  replied, «  Madam."  The 
poor  girl  looked  in  every  direction,  as  if  for  help,  but 
none  came.  She  had  forgotten  every  word  of  her 
carefully  prepared  speech,  and,  with  tears  in  her  eyes 
— her  hands  and  arms  being  full,  she  could  use  no 
handkerchief — again  stammered  out,  "Sir," — to  which, 
with  a  bow,  I  replied,  "Madam."  Some  began  to 
titter,  and  the  young  lady,  seeing  that  the  whole 
affair  was  becoming  ludicrous,  sobbed  out,  "Sir, — 
here — here — here's  the  flag!"  and,  rolling  the  im- 
mense mass  of  red,  white,  and  blue  bunting  into  my 
arms, — as  Dundreary  would  say, — "wushed  from  the 
scene."  What  could  I  say,  and  what  was  I  to  do  with 
the  thing  ?  To  escape  from  the  dilemma  as  speedily 
as  possible,  I  said :  "  Yes,  this  is  the  flag,  and  there 


276     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

let  it  wave,"  and  tumbled  the  bunting  from  the  plat- 
form. It  was  immediately  affixed  to  the  halliards  and 
run  up  to  the  head  of  the  staff.  The  band  struck  up, 
the  banner  floated,  and  all  passed  off  pleasantly. 

I  am  reminded  by  the  incident  of  tearing  my  coat, 
that  I  have  been  criticised  severely  for  the  ungrace- 
fulness  and  violence  of  my  gestures.  I  do  not  wish  to 
deprecate  criticism ;  I  know  I  am  ungraceful  and 
awkward.  I  once  heard  a  boy  say, to  his  companion, 
as  they  came  out  from  the  lecture-room  where  I  had 
been  speaking :  "  Jimmy,  did  you  see  him  go  it  with 
his  feet?"  I  never  studied  the  graces  of  action  or 
gesture  ;  probably  I  should  be  more  graceful  if  I  had. 
We  often  acquire  unfortunate  habits  that  are  hard  to 
break.  A  German  in  Philadelphia  told  his  employer 
that  he  was  "  going  to  hear  dat  Mr.  Gough,  vat  dey 
say  dalks  mit  his  goat  dails."  I  am  aware  that  I  do 
occasionally  shake  my  coat  tails.  How  I  acquired  the 
habit  I  do  not  know ;  but  I  condemn  the  motion  as 
much  as  any  one  can,  and  would  be  grateful  to  any 
person  who  would  strike  me  on  my  knuckles  with  a 
stick  whenever  I  "  dalk  mit  my  goat  dails."  I  think 
I  could  not  make  a  speech  with  my  hands  tied.  I 
have  never  tried  it ;  but  I  will  not  make  excuses  for 
my  gestures.  I  am  often  amused  by  the  committee, 
after  erecting  a  platform  perhaps  twenty  feet  by  fif- 
teen, asking  me  "if  I  should  have  room  enough?" 
or  whether  the  President  would  be  in  my  way,  if  he 
remained  in  the  chair.  I  remember  a  lecturer  who 
was  not  so  fortunate  as  to  draw  large  audiences,  com- 
plaining that  they  did  not  give  him  room  enough. 
"  Only  let  me  have  a  platform  as  big  as  you  give 
Gough,  and  I  will  make  as  good  a  speech,  and  draw 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHK  B.  GOUGH.     277 

as  many  people.     It  is  nothing  in  Gough, — it  is  the 
platform  does  it." 

I  find  people  do  not  generally  prefer  to  sit  on  the 
stand  while  I  am  speaking;  perhaps  desiring  to  "see 
him  go  it  with  his  feet ; "  or  fearful  of  being  kicked 
off; — and  it  is  dangerous  to  get  too  close  to  me  when 
I  am  "  going  it."  Dr.  Beman  once,  when  I  was  speak- 
ing in  his  church,  stepped  very  softly  behind  me  to 
arrange  a  refractory  gas-burner,  just  as  I  threw  back 
my  fist,  and  he  received  a  "stinger"  in  his  face. 
When  I  felt  his  hard  teeth  and  soft  lips  against  my 
knuckles,  as  my  hand  came  in  contact  with  them  so 
violently,  a  chill  ran  through  me ;  but  when  I  apolo- 
gized afterwards,  the  good  Doctor  said,  with  a  smile: 
"  Remember,  sir,  you  are  the  first  man  that  ever 
struck  me  with  impunity."  I  have  found  blood  on 
my  hand  more  than  once,  and  occasionally  a  black 
bruise,  and  I  certainly  could  not  tell  how  it  was  done ; 
but  guessed  that,  while  I  was  "  going  it,"  I  must  have 
struck  my  hand  somewhere.  I  have  said — and  I 
believe — that  when  a  man  is  thoroughly  absorbed  in 
his  theme, — when  his  subject  fills  him, — he  will  so' 
far  forget  all,  and  everything,  in  his  intense  desire  to 
make  his  audience  feel  as  he  wishes  them  to  feel, 
that  physical  suffering  will  be  not  only  endured  and 
triumphed  over,  but  he  may  become  unconscious  of 
pain,  in  the  overwhelming  power  of  his  subject  on 
himself.  I  know  that  on  the  subject  of  temperance 
I  feel  what  I  say.  .  I  know  it.  I  must  feel  on  this 
theme  deeply.  No  lapse  of  time  can  weaken  the 
intensity  of  my  feeling.  Burned  into  my  memory, 
are  the  years  of  suffering  and  degradation,  and  I  do 
feel  deeply,  and  must  ever,  on  this  great  question. 


278     AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

Sometimes,  when  speaking  on  temperance,  I  seem  to 
be  absolutely  engaged  in  a  battle,  the  enemy  before 
me, — not  as  a  man  of  straw,  but  the  real,  living  hor- 
ror j  and  in  the  wrestling  with  that,  face  to  face,  hand 
to  hand  again, — like  the  blind  war-horse  when  hear- 
ing the  trumpet's  charge, — rush  on,  fearing  and  car- 
ing for  nothing,  but  that  I  may  deal  heavy  blows, 
and  send  the  fiend  away  crippled  and  howling.  This 
may  seem  rhapsody  and  romance ;  but  it  is  true.  I 
have  forgotten  audience  and  circumstances,  sickness 
and  pain,  under  the  power  of  this  reality.  In  Jersey 
City,  while  addressing  young  men,  I  felt  something 
of  this  power  over  me.  I  was  in  a  pulpit.  On  either 
side  of  the  desk  was  a  marble  scroll,  with  sharp  edges, 
I  struck  my  clenched  fist  with  great  force  on  the 
sharp  edge  of  that  marble ;  for  a  moment  I  saw  stars ; 
strange  colors  danced  before  my  eyes;  but  I  con- 
tinued speaking  more  than  an  hour  after  the  blow. 
When  I  concluded  I  dropped  on  the  seat,  and  the 
minister  threw  a  glass  of  water  on  my  face,  startled 
by  my  paleness.  My  hand  was  frightfully  SAvollen 
and  very  much  discolored ;  and  before  morning  every 
nerve  from  my  fingers  to  my  hip,  throbbed  with  pain. 
I  had  injured  the  bone  of  my  hand  so  that  for  some 
time  I  could  not  write  without  suffering,  and  my  hand 
is  tender  in  that  spot  to-day ; — yet  while  speaking, 
except  occasionally  a  pang  reminding  me  that  I  was 
hurt,  I  forget  it.  I  narrate  this  in  illustration  of  the 
fact  that  there  are  times  when  a  speaker,  by  the  over- 
whelming power  of  his  subject  on  himself,  rises  above 
even  physical  suffering. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Invitation  to  Great  Britain — Mr.  Kellogg's  Visit — Acceptance  of  my 
Propositions — Farewell  Meetings — Dr.  Beecher's  Blessing — Depart- 
ure— Arrival  at  Liverpool — Welcome  to  England — Work  Prepared 
— Arrival  in  London — Pleasant  Impressions — Reception — The  Street 
Band — Sight  Seeing — Punch  and  Judy — Exeter  Hall — First  Speech. 

THE  next  year,  1853,  was  an  important  one  to  me, 
as  a  new  and  interesting  field  of  labor  was  then 
opened  to  me  in  Great  Britain.  I  had  received  re- 
peated invitations  from  the  Scottish  Temperance 
League,  and  the  British  Temperance  Association,  to 
visit  my  native  country,  to  deliver  a  series  of  lectures 
on  temperance.  All  these  applications  I  declined.  I 
had  no  desire  to  leave  my  work  in  this  country,  and 
was  fearful  that  my  style  of  speaking  would  not  meet 
with  favor  there.  In  the  spring,  Mr.  F.  W.  Kellogg, 
late  Member  of  Congress  for  Michigan — now,  I  be- 
lieve, Senator  from  Mobile,  Ala., — returned  from  Eng- 
land, where  he  had  spent  a  year,  delighted  with  his 
reception  in  that  country,  and  commissioned,  as  he 
said,  not  to  leave  me  till  I  had  consented  to  go.  He 
came  to  my  house,  and  informed  me  that  until  I  gave 
him  my  promise  to  go  to  England,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  London  Temperance  League,  he  should  be  a 
permanent  boarder.  I  at  first  told  him  it  would  be 
impossible;  my  engagements  did  not  admit  of  it; 
that  it  was  a  thing  not  to  be  thought  of  at  present; 
18 


280     AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

that  probably  a  day  would  come  when  all  difficulties 
would  be  removed,  and  I  could  go,  but  not  now.  Mr. 
Kellogg  was  not  to  be  discouraged,  and  renewed  the 
attack,  and  we — he,  my  wife,  and  I — argued  the  sub- 
ject for  hours.  At  length — more  to  get  rid  of  the 
importunity,  than  with  any  expectation  that  the 
League  would  accede  to  my  terms — I  made  a  propo- 
sition, that  as  I  generally  had  ten  or  twelve  weeks  in 
the  summer  for  rest,  I  would  spend  them  in  England, 
on  condition  that  the  London  Temperance  League 
should  defray  our  expenses  to  England  and  back — al- 
lowing us  one  week  for  Paris,  and  one  week  for  my 
native  village, — with  all  expenses  while  there ;  and  I 
would  give  four  weeks'  service  to  the  League.  I  told 
Mr.  Kellogg  "  that  was  a  settler,  and  I  should  not  hear 
from  the  League  again."  He  and  I  both  wrote  at 
once,  and  to  my  surprise,  I  received  a  letter  promptly 
from  the  League,  acceding  to  my  terms,  only  stipulat- 
ing for  six  weeks  instead  of  four.  I  had,  accordingly, 
nothing  left  me  but  to  go.  The  time  appointed  for 
our  departure  was  the  20th  of  July,  expecting  to  re- 
turn home  by  the  last  of  October,  to  resume  my  work 
here ;  and  proposing,  if  I  failed — which  I  fully  ex- 
pected— to  return  in  the  ship  that  should  take  us  out. 
I  continued  my  work  in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Con- 
necticut, and  Massachusetts,  till  the  4th  of  July,  when 
I  made  my  last  speech  previous  to  my  departure, — 
with  the  exception  of  a  farewell  address  to  my  friends 
and  neighbors,  in  a  grove  near  my  residence,  at  which 
the  venerable  Dr.  Beecher,  who  was  at  that  time  my 
guest,  was  present, — and  prepared  for  the  voyage. 
I  was  striving  hard  to  pay  for  my  home,  and  as  I  had 
determined  to  return  at  once,  should  my  speaking 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF   JOHN    B.    GOUGH.  281 

fail  to  be  received  with  approval,  I  borrowed  two 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  that  I  might  have  sufficient 
funds  to  be  independent  of  the  League. 

On  the  19th  of  July,  we  left  home  for  Boston,  being 
invited  by  Mr.  Grant  to  spend  the  last  evening  at  his 
house.  Several  true,  tried  friends  met  us  there.  The 
venerable  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher,  who  had  for  years 
been  my  friend,  and  almost  fatherly  in  his  friendship 
towards  me,  came  with  his  wife  to  give  us  their  lov- 
ing, parting  words.  I  said  to  him :  "  Doctor,  I  have 
paid  my  passage  to  England,  and  feel  as  if  I  could 
pay  just  that  price  over  again,  if  I  were  detained-r- 
if  something  would  occur  to  keep  me  back."  He 
asked  why  I  was  afraid  to  go.  I  said:  "The  English 
and  Scotch  people  require  argument;  I  cannot  argue, 
for  I  want  logic ;  I  am  no  logician,  I  have  no  educa- 
tion. I  can  only  tell  them  just  what  I  believe  to  be 
the  truth  in  my  own  way,  and  I  fear  I  shall  not  suc- 
ceed,— but  I'll  tell  you  what  I've  done.  I  have 
money  in  my  possession,  (I  had  to  borrow  it,)  and  as 
soon  as  I  make  my  first  speech,  if  it  is  not  well  re- 
ceived, I  shall  come  back  again."  He  said:  "John, 
my  son,  don't  fear;  I  have  prayed  for  you, — if  the 
Lord  go  not  up  with  you,  to  send  you  not  over,  and 
I  mean  to  pray  for  you  while  you  are  gone.  Go,  and 
in  God's  name,  talk  to  the  people,  and  if  it  is  His 
will  that  you  do  anything  for  His  cause,  leave  it  with 
Him.  Go,  and  the  blessing  of  an  old  man  go  with 
you."  As  I  grasped  his  hand,  I  said,  "I  will  go." 
He  gave  me  a  letter,  in  case  it  should  be  of  any  ser- 
vice. I  also  received  an  affectionate  letter  from  my 
pastor,  Dr.  Kirk,  and  on  the  20th  of  July,  1853,  my 
wife  and  I  sailed  in  the  steamer  America  for  old  Eng- 


282     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

land.  The  voyage  passed  as  other  voyages  do,  and 
I  will  not  add  to  the  long  list  of  chronicles  of  an  At- 
lantic voyage.  My  wife  suffered  severely  from  sea- 
sickness. I  escaped  altogether. 

We  arrived  at  Liverpool  on  the  evening  of  Satur- 
day, July  30th,  too  late  to  go  ashore  that  night.  On 
Sunday  morning,  bright  and  beautiful,  while  the 
church  bells  were  chiming  for  service,  the  customs 
officers  passed  our  luggage,  and  we  stepped  into  the 
tender.  We  had  noticed  two  or  three  gentlemen 
curiously  eyeing  the  group  of  passengers  gathered  on 
the  saloon  deck,  and  as  we  stepped  into  the  tug,  one 
of  these  gentlemen  came  to  us  and  said:  "Mr.  Gough?" 
«  Yes,  sir."  «  Welcome  to  England."  This  was  Smith 
Harrison,  Esq.,  who  from  that  time,  proved  himself 
our  true  friend,  and  was  frequently  our  generous  host. 
A  bundle  of  letters  was  handed  me,  and  it  seemed 
odd  that  I  should  receive  so  many  letters  immediately 
on  my  arrival.  They  also  gave  me  at  once  a  schedule 
of  the  appointments  made  for  me.  I  was  to  speak  in 
London  on  Tuesday,  August  2d,  and  the  three  follow- 
ing days — the  first  in  Exeter  Hall,  next  in  Whitting- 
ton  Club  Room,  again  in  Exeter  Hall,  and  Friday  in 
the  Club  Room.  They  had  then  placed  me  for  Chard, 
one  hundred  and  eighty-five  miles  from  London,  on 
Saturday,  and  had  made  a  continuous  list  of  appoint- 
ments stretching  on  through  the  month,  for  every 
day  except  Sunday ; — so  there  was  work  before  me. 
Our  luggage  was  soon  conveyed  on  shore,  and  Mr. 
Harrison  escorted  us  to  the  house  of  Charles  Wilson, 
Esq.,  five  miles  from  Liverpool,  where  we  were  to  re- 
main till  Monday,  and  then  proceed  to  London.  What 
a  ride  that  was!  How  it  brought  back  to  me  so  viv- 


AUTOBIOGEAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     283 

idly  old  boyish  associations, — the  roads,  the  hedges, 
the  English  accent, — all  was  new,  and  yet  familiar. 
What  a  chamber  of  peace  we  entered  in  that  hospi- 
table "Friend's"  house.  On  looking  out  of  the 
window,  I  saw  a  thrush  on  the  lawn,  and  shouted 
with  all  a  boy's  glee,  "  Mary,  there's  a  thrush ! "  The 
sweetness,  the  quietness,  the  fragrance  of  that  delight- 
ful day  at  the  Elms, — especially  in  contrast  with  the 
disagreeables  usually  experienced  on  a  sea  voyage, 
combined  with  the  generous,  unobtrusive  hospitality 
of  our  new  friends, — made  then,  and  left  ever  after, 
pleasant  impressions. 

On  Monday  we  left  by  express  for  London,  the 
Committee  there  being  telegraphed  the  time  of  our 
starting,  and  the  number  of  our  carriage.  I  shall  not 
describe  our  journey.  Those  who  in  their  manhood, 
visit  again  the  scenes  of  early  life,  will  understand 
my  delight,  and  those  who  have  looked  upon  the 
loveliness  of  English  scenery  for  the  first  time,  will 
understand  the  enjoyment  of  my  wife.  After  passing 
the  manufacturing  districts  of  Lancashire,  it  was  all 
beautiful.  Rich,  green  foliage ;  the  hedge-rows,  so 
new  to  the  eye  of  an  American ;  clumps  of  trees, 
artistically  planted ;  the  perfection  of  agriculture ; 
the  magnificent  mansions  of  the  landed  proprietors,; 
the  cottage  homes  of  the  laborers ;  here  and  there  a 
half-ruined  castle,  or  the  picturesque  remains  of  some 
fine  old  Abbey;  presents  a  panorama  conveying  to 
the  mind  an  impression  of  the  loveliness  of  English 
scenery,  that  will  never  pass  away.  Soon  after  four 
o'clock,  p.  M.,  as  the  train  arrived  at  the  Euston  Square 
station,  we  saw  a  group  of  gentlemen  watching.  Then 
they  pointed  toward  us,  and  all  ran  by  the  side  of  our 


284     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

carriage  till  we  stopped  ;  the  porters  opened  the  doors, 
and  our  hands  were  warmly  grasped, — first  by  G.  C. 
Campbell,  then  by  William  Tweedie,  and  the  rest, 
with  hearty  welcome. 

It  had  been  arranged  that  we  should  at  once  pro- 
ceed to  the  house  of  George  Cruikshank,  the  cele- 
brated artist,  where  a  large  number  of  the  friends  had 
assembled  to  greet  us.  Here  I  saw  many  whose 
names  were  familiar  to  me  from  their  connection  with 
the  great  reforms, — Lawrence  Heyworth,  John  Cas- 
sell,  and  others.  It  was  quite  a  reception ;  I  had  my 
first  experience  of  the  formal  English  method  of  do- 
ing these  things,  and  I  made  a  sad  mistake  in  my  ig- 
norance. The  company,  after  refreshments,  were 
seated  round  the  large  parlor;  there  was  a  little  whis- 
pering, when,  unfortunately  for  me,  just  as  Lawrence 
Heyworth  rose  and  said:  "Mr.  Gough" — in  the  street 
before  the  house,  a  band  of  music  struck  up  a  lively 
tune.  I  immediately  ran  to  the  window,  and  began 
to  ask  questions.  "What  band  is  that?"  "A  street 
band,"  was  the  reply,  given  very  coolly.  "  They  play 
very  well,  for  a  street  band."  "  It  is  tolerable  music," 
said  the  gentleman  I  had  addressed.  "  How  are  they 
paid  ?  "  I  then  asked.  "  By  voluntary  contribution  ; 
but  if  you  please,  Mr.  Gough,  we  are  waiting  for  you." 
I  turned,  and  to  my  consternation  saw  Mr.  Heyworth 
standing  just  as  he  had  risen,  to  give  me  a  speech 
of  welcome — and  I  had  interrupted  the  proceedings 
to  talk  about  a  street  band.  I  recovered  from  my 
confusion,  hastily  begged  pardon,  and  the  exercises 
continued.  I  replied  to  the  speech,  and  in  such  a 
way  that  the  hopes  of  the  committee  were  consider- 
ably dampened,  and  I  knew  well  that  there  was  a 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     285 

feeling  of  disappointment.  But  what  could  they 
expect? 

Mr.  T.  Smith,  residing  in  Hoxton,  had  made  ar- 
rangements to  entertain  us ;  and  at  a  late  hour  we 
arrived  at  his  house.  The  next  morning  we  were 
out  early;  and,  wishing  to  visit  the  office  of  the 
League,  337  Strand,  we  took  an  omnibus.  I  deter- 
mined to  see  all  I  could,  and  mounted  to  the  top. 
The  first  place  I  noticed  particularly,  was  "Bunhill 
Fields."  Leaning  over  to  the  window  of  the  vehicle, 
I  cried  out,  "  Mary,  there's  Bunhill  Fields,  where 
Bunyan  was  buried!"  Then  we  passed  the  Bank, 
the  Mansion  House,  St.  Paul's,  Ludgate  Hill,  Temple 
Bar,  to  the  Strand.  Some  of  the  committee  placed 
themselves  at  our  disposal,  and  off  we  went  sight-see- 
ing. I  was  like  a  boy  let  loose  from  school.  The 
very  sparrows — London  sparrows — had  their  attrac- 
tion. Soon  we  came  to  a  "  Punch  and  Judy."  "  Oh, 
here's  Punch — wait — here's  Punch!"  Our  friends 
considered  it  beneath  their  dignity  to  be  amused  by 
Punch ;  but  I  was  determined  to  enjoy  all  I  could. 
Often  I  had  loitered  on  an  errand,  attracted  by  the 
fascinations  of  Punch,  when  a  boy,  and  had  been 
punished  for  it.  Now,  man  as  I  was,  I  could  not  re- 
sist, nor  did  I  wish  to,  the  inclination  to  see  my  old 
friend  perform  his  antics, — just  the  same — hardly  a 
variation  that  I  could  detect — for  twenty-four  years. 

I  think  we  must  have  tired  our  escort.  I  know 
that  I  was  nearly  exhausted  before  the  time  of  prep- 
aration for  the  lecture;  but  I  had  thought  of  that 
less,  probably,  than  any  of  my  friends.  At  last,  the 
hour  arrived,  and  we  went  to  Exeter  Hall.  The  com- 
mittee room  was  crowded.  I  saw  there  the  venerable 


286  AUTOBIOGKAPHY    OF   JOHN    B.    GOTJGH. 

Dr.  Campbell,  the  champion  of  the  Non-conformists, 
and  many  other  prominent  men.  James  Silk  Buck- 
ingham was  to  preside.  I  suggested  some  change  in 
the  programme,  as  they  had  appointed  a  choir  of  five 
hundred  to  sing  "See,  the  conquering  hero  comes!" 
and  I  felt  as  little  like  a  hero,  as  a  man  well  could. 
On  ascending  the  platform  I  was  received  with  a 
song  of  welcome,  and  cheers.  Such  cheering  I  never 
heard  before ;  it  almost  took  my  breath  away ;  and, 
looking  over  the  audience,  I  saw  an  immense  crowd 
of  men  and  women,  evidently  on  the  tiptoe  of  ex- 
pectation. While  Mr.  Buckingham  was  making  the 
introductory  speech,  I  reasoned  with  myself:  "  Here 
are  three  thousand  men  and  women,  wrought  up  to 
excitement,  and  surely  doomed  to  disappointment. 
They  expect  a  flight  of  sky-rockets,  and  I  cannot 
provide  them.  No  man  could  address  an  audience 
like  this  successfully,  while  in  such  a  state  of  ex- 
citement. Something  must  be  done; — when  I  was 
introduced,  I  began  to  speak  very  tamely,  knowing, 
that  unless  they  were  let  down,  no  living  man  could 
speak  up  to  their  enthusiasm  for  an  hour  and  a  half; 
so  I  continued,  till  I  saw  the  light  of  enthusiasm  fad- 
ing away  into  disappointment.  Then  I  heard  one  on 
the  platform  audibly  groan,  "Ah! — h — h!"  another 
said, — loud  enough  to  be  heard, — "That'll  never  do 
for  London."  Then  I  commenced  in  real  earnest; 
laid  hold  of  my  theme,  and  did  the  best  I  could.  I 
was  told  afterwards  that  none  but  those  on  the  plat- 
form, and  directly  round  me,  experienced  any  dis- 
tressing sensation, — but  they  did. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Account  of  Reception  and  Speech  from  a  Published  Work — Invitation 
— Preparations — Results — Extract  from  the  Banner — "  The  Bane 
and  the  Antigoat" — "  Variety  the  Spice  of  Life." 

NEARLY  a  year  after,  an  account  of  my  reception 
and  speech  was  published  in  a  small  work,  embodying 
an  extract  from  the  London  Weekly  News,  by  J. 
Ewing  Ritchie.  I  have  hesitated  about  inserting  this, 
as  it  is  complimentary,  and  I  may  be  charged  with 
egotism ;  but  there  has  been  enough  in  these  pages, — 
and  there  will  be  more, — of  another  kind  of  notice,  to 
neutralize  this.  I  wish  to  give  Dr.  Campbell's  opinion 
as  expressed  in  the  " Banner"  of  the  next  day.  I  give 
the  extract  from  the  book  published  in  London,  apol- 
ogizing for  its  length : 

We  have  said  that  the  Committee  of  the  London  Temperance  League 
were  the  means  of  bringing  Mr.  Gough  over  to  this  country.  It  will 
not  be  out  of  place  here  if  we  attempt  to  chronicle  the  strenuous  and 
unremitting  efforts  they  made  to  ensure  Mr.  Gough's  success.  The 
remarkable  results  which  had,  for  several  years,  followed  the  exertions 
of  Mr.  Gough  as  a  temperance  advocate  in  the  United  States,  induced 
that  committee  to  endeavor  to  have  his  valuable  services  extended  to 
this  country.  As  we  have  already  said,  Mr.  Kellogg  was  the  agent 
employed  to  induce  Mr.  Gough  to  comply  with  their  request.  As  soon 
as  it  became  known  to  the  committee  that  that  was  the  case,  the  com- 
mittee left  no  stone  unturned,  and  in  season  and  out  of  season,  were 
most  indefatigable  in  making  the  British  public  familiar  with  the  life 
and  labors  of  Mr.  Gough.  They  felt  their  responsibility  was  great; 
that  they  had  gone  to  some  considerable  expense ;  that  if  Mr.  Gough's 


288     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

visit  was  a  failure,  they  would  have  to  bear  the  blame;  and  they  wisely 
resolved,  that,  as  far  as  they  individually  were  concerned,  the  very  re- 
verse should  be  the  case.  They  determined  to  use  every  exertion  to 
make  Mr.  Gough's  visit  memorable  in  the  annals  of  the  temperance 
cause.  For  this  purpose,  a  large  'number  of  copies  of  Mr.  Gough's 
Autobiography,  published  as  one  of  the  Ipswich  tracts,  were  procured, 
and  introduced  to  the  notice  of  those  attending  the  various  May  meet- 
ings in  London.  At  the  request  of  the  committee,  Mr.  John  Taylor 
kindly  undertook  to  deliver,  free  of  all  expense,  several  lectures  on 
"The  Life  and  Mission  of  John  B.  Gough,"  by  which  means  his  com- 
ing visit  was  well  advertised  throughout  the  temperance  ranks.  A  cir- 
cular, including  the  Life  of  Mr.  Gough,  was  also  addressed  to  the  various 
ministers  of  religion  in  London  and  its  vicinity.  These  circulars  were 
kindly  attended  to,  and  in  many  cases  the  visit  of  Mr.  Gough  was  an- 
nounced from  the  pulpit.  Circulars  of  a  similar  tendency  were  also 
sent  to  most  of  the  large  employers  of  labor  in  the  metropolis.  Atten- 
tion was  also  paid  to  the  literary  profession, — every  distinguished  mem- 
ber of  which  received  a  special  invitation ;  as  did  also  the  entire  public 
press.  To  the  provincial  journals,  as  well  as  to  those  of  the  metropolis, 
Mr.  Gough's  Autobiography  was  sent,  together  with  an  abstract  of  his 
labors,  which,  in  many  cases,  was  inserted.  An  extensive  system  of 
advertising  was  also  resorted  to;  and  thus  almost  every  newspaper  was 
induced  to  spread  the  knowledge  of  the  intended  demonstration  in 
every  circle,  whether  high  or  low,  rich  or  poor.  Exeter  Hall,  and  the 
large  room  of  the  Whittington  Club,  were  engaged,  and  confident  with 
joy  and  hope  did  the  committee  await  the  result. 

At  length,  July  31,  1853,  came,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gough  arrived 
at  Liverpool,  where  they  were  warmly  received  by  Smith  Harrison, 
Esq.,  a  Liverpool  merchant,  and  other  gentlemen  connected  with  that 
town.  The  electric  telegraph  conveyed  the  anxiously-expected  intelli- 
gence to  London.  At  an  early  hour  on  Monday,  August  1st,  the 
Committee  of  the  League,  with  other  friends,  assembled  at  the  terminus 
of  the  North-western  Railway.  At  a  little  past  four,  the  train  from 
Liverpool  arrived,  and  Mr.  Gough  was  received  with  a  brotherly  wel- 
come by  his  fellow-countrymen  and  fellow-laborers,  who  accompanied 
him  to  the  house  of  George  Cruikshank,  Esq.,  where  the  elite  of  the 
temperance  body  had  been  invited,  and  had  assembled  to  welcome  the 
loug-anticipated  guest.  On  the  following  day,  August  2d,  the  first 
great  meeting  was  held  in  Exeter  Hall.  It  was  a  day  on  which  much 
depended, — which  the  committee  looked  forward  to  with  mingled  hopes 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN"  B.  GOUGH.     289 

and  fears, — and  anxiously  regarded  by  thousands  in  all  parts  of  the 
land.  It  was  the  day  which  was  to  justify  the  committee,  and  to  es- 
tablish the  reputation  of  Mr.  Gough  on  English  soil.  As  early  as 
four  o'clock,  P.  M.,  persons  were  waiting  to  obtain  admission  to  the  hall, 
though  the  time  announced  for  opening  the  doors  was  six,  and  the  pro- 
ceedings did  not  commence  till  eight;  and  no  sooner  were  the  doors 
opened,  than  every  part  commanding  a  view  of  the  speaker  was  immedi- 
ately filled.  Never  did  that  magnificent  hall — that  hall  so  famed  for 
oratory,  the  effects  of  which  have  been  felt  in  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth;  so  famed  for  its  assemblies,  which  have  comprised  the  noblest 
spirits  of  the  age, — never,  we  repeat,  did  that  magnificent  hall  present 
a  nobler  sight ;  the  benches  crowded  with  living  souls  showed  how  deep 
was  the  interest  created  by  the  speaker  and  his  theme;  whilst  the  ban- 
ners of  different  nations,  placed  in  various  parts  of  the  hall,  showed 
how  universal  in  its  application  was  the  temperance  cause.  On  the 
platform,  the  national  flags  of  England  and  America  waved  harmoni- 
ously together, — as  it  is  to  be  hoped  they  may  do  to  the  end  of  time. 
"It  was  a  noble  sight,"  an  American  said;  "to  see  it  would  well  repay 
a  journey  across  the  Atlantic."  The  united  choirs  of  the  temperance 
singing  societies  of  the  metropolis,  and  the  Shapcott  band  occupied  the 
center  of  the  vast  platform  in  front  of  the  great  organ, — the  use  of 
which  was  kindly  granted  by  the  Sacred  Harmonic  Society.  The  ex- 
citement reached  its  height  when  Mr.  Gough  came  on  the  platform, 
leaning  on  the  arm  of  the  President  of  the  League,  J.  S.  Buckingham, 
Esq.,  attended  by  the  leaders  of  the  temperance  cause,  gathered  from 
every  corner  of  the  land.  Description  of  the  scene  is  impossible; 
language  fails.  The  enthusiasm  was  unbounded ;  many  wept  for  joy. 
At  length  it  calmed  down,  and  after  a  brief  but  appropriate  address 
from  the  chairman,  Mr.  Gough  for  the  first  time  spoke  to  an  audience 
in  his  native  land.  He  had  left  our  shores  a  boy  ;  he  had  come  back 
to  them  a  man.  He  had  left  unnoticed  and  unknown ;  he  had  returned  - 
with  a  world-wide  fame.  He  had  gone  out  poor;  he  came  back  rich 
with  the  blessings  of  those  he  had  saved  from  intemperance  and  sin. 
He  had  sunk  into  the  lowest  depths  of  despair,  and  he  had  repented 
and  gathered  strength,  and  was  now  rewarded  with  the  approval  of  con- 
science, and  in  his  heart  the  peace  of  God.  It  was  a  night  of  trial  to 
him ;  yet  he  was  equal  to  the  task.  Great  as  had  been  the  expecta- 
tions created,  Mr.  Gough  surpassed  them  all.  The  vast  multitude  he 
swayed  as  with  an  enchanter's  wand.  As  he  willed,  it  was  moved  to 
laughter  or  melted  into  tears. 


290     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

All  doubt  vanished ;  it  was  felt  that  he  had  made  good  his  reputa- 
tion here, — that  all  that  had  been  promised,  he  had  redeemed.  We 
reprint  an  article  which  appeared  in  the  "Weekly  News  "  at  the  time, 
from  the  pen  of  Mr.  J.  Ewing  Ritchie,  giving  an  account  of  Mr.  Grough's 
visit, — as  a  proof  of  the  effect  produced  on  an  impartial  observer :  — 

Excuse  us,  kind  sir,  if  this  week  we  have  no  scenes  in  the  House 
to  record, — nothing  to  tell  of  Parliamentary  business  and  dullness.  A 
week  of  monotonous  routine  offers  little  for  our  pen,  and  is  as  weari- 
some a  task  for  us  to  write  as  it  must  be  for  you  to  read.  Excuse  us, 
then,  if  we  take  you  elsewhere — to  one  of  those  popular  parliaments 
which  are  so  common  in  our  midst, — the  influence  of  which  for  good 
and  bad  no  legislation  can  overlook, — to  which  often  the  assembly  in 
Palace  Yard  is  compelled  to  bow.  On  your  right-hand  side  as  you  pass 
along  the  Strand,  you  see  a  lofty  door,  evidently  leading  to  some  im- 
mense building  within.  It  is  called  Exeter  Hall,  for  it  stands  where, 
in  old  times,  stood  Exeter  'Change,  and  still  has  its  live  lions,  which 
are  very  numerous,  especially  in  the  months  of  May  and  June.  You 
enter  the  door,  and  ascend  a  long  and  ample  staircase,  which  conducts 
you  to  the  finest  public  room  in  the  metropolis.  What  popular  passions 
have  I  not  seen  here!  What  contradictory  utterances  have  I  not 
heard  here !  High  Church,  Low  Church,  Methodism,  Dissent,  have  all 
appealed  from  that  platform  to  those  benches  crowded  with  living  souls. 
From  that  platform,  accompanying  that  organ,  seven  hundred  voices 
join  often  in  Handel's  majestic  strains.  Underneath  me  are  the  officers 
of  the  various  societies  whose  aims  are  among  the  noblest  that  can  be 
proposed  to  man.  Westminster  Hall  is  a  fine  hall ;  but  this  in  which 
I  am  is  eight  feet  wider  than  that, — one  hundred  and  thirty-one  feet 
long,  seventy-six  feet  wide,  and  forty-five  feet  high, — and  will  contain 
with  comfort  more  than  three  thousand  persons.  On  the  night  of  which 
I  now  write,  it  was  well  filled  by  an  audience,  such  as  a  few  years 
back  could  not  have  been  collected  for  love  or  money,  but  which  now  can 
be  got  together  with  the  greatest  ease,  not  merely  in  London,  but  in  Man- 
chester, in  Birmingham,  in  Liverpool,  in  all  our  great  seats  of  industry, 
of  intelligence,  and  life; — I  mean  an  audience  of  men  and  women  who 
have  come  to  see  intemperance  to  be  the  great  curse  of  this,  our  age 
and  land,  and  who  have  resolved  to  abstain  themselves  from  all  intoxi- 
cating drink,  and  to  encourage  others  to  do  so  as  well.  Evidently 
something  great  was  expected.  The  western  gallery  was  covered  with 
tastefully  decorated  cloth,  on  which  was  inscribed,  in  emblazoned 
silver  letters  thirty  inches  deep,  "The  London  Temperance  League," 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY    OF   JOHtf   B.  GOUGH.  291 

with  an  elaborate  painted  border,  composed  of  garlands  of  flowers. 
The  royal  gallery,  and  the  smaller  one  opposite,  were  covered  with 
scarlet  cloth,  on  which  were  arranged  rose-colored  panels,  with  the 
words,  "London  Temperance  League"  in  silver  letters.  The  front  of 
the  platform  and  the  reporters'  box  were  also  decorated  in  a  similar 
manner.  At  the  end  of  the  royal  gallery  was  fixed  a  large  royal 
standard,  the  folds  of  which  hung  gracefully  over  the  heads  of  the 
audience.  Under  the  royal  standard  was  placed  the  union  jack.  At 
the  end  of  the  opposite  gallery  proudly  waved  the  banner  of  the 
great  Republic  of  the  West.  The  platform  was  decorated  with  flags 
bearing  inscriptions  of  various  kinds.  Like  the  stars  in  the  heavens, 
or  the  sands  on  the  sea-shore,  they  were  innumerable.  In  front  of  the 
organ  were  arranged  the  choir  of  the  temperance  societies,  and  on  the 
floor  of  the  platform  were  placed  the  Shapcott  family,  with  their  sax- 
horns. 

Why  was  all  this  preparation  made?  For  what  purpose  that  living 
multitude  of  warm  hearts?  The  answer  is  soon  given.  Some  twenty- 
four  years  back,  a  poor  lad,  without  money  or  learning,  almost  without 
friends,  was  shipped  off  to  America,  to  try  his  fortune  in  the  New 
World.  Arrived  there,  the  lad  became  a  man,  lived  by  the  sweat  of 
his  brow,  learned  to  drink,  to  be  a  boon  companion, — and  fell,  as  most 
fall, — for  there  is  that  in  the  flowing  bowl,  and  in  the  wine  when  it  is 
red,  which  few  can  withstand.  Friends  left  him ;  he  became  an  out- 
cast and  a  wanderer;  he  sank  lower  and  lower;  he  walked  in  rags;  he 
loathed  life ;  his  frame  became  emaciated  with  disease ;  there  was  none 
to  pity  or  to  save.  It  seemed  for  that  man,  there  was  nothing  left 
but  to  lie  down  and  die.  However,  while  there's  life  there's  htfpe. 
That  man  in  his  degradation  and  despair  was  reached;  he  signed  the 
temperance  pledge;  he  became  an  advocate  of  the  temperance  cause. 
His  words  were  words  of  power;  they  touched  men's  hearts,  they  fired 
men's  souls.  He  led  the  life  of  an  apostle, — wherever  he  went  the 
drunkard  was  reclaimed.  Zeal  was  excited ;  the  spell  of  the  sparkling 
cup  was  gone;  humanity  was  saved; — and  now  he  had  returned  for 
awhile  to  his  native  land,  to  advocate  the  cause  which  had  been  a  salva- 
tion to  his  own  soul  and  life;  and  these  men  and  women,  these  hopeful 
youths,  these  tender-hearted  maidens,  had  come  to  give  him  welcome. 
Already  every  eye  in  that  vast  assembly  is  turned  to  the  quarter  whence 
it  is  expected  the  hero  of  the  night  will  appear.  At  length  the  ap- 
pointed hour  arrives.  A  band  of  temperance  reformers  move  towards 
the  platform,  with  the  flags  of  Britain  and  America  waving — as  we 


292     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

trust  they  may  long  do — harmoniously  together.  We  see  familiar  faces, 
— Cruikshank,  Buckingham,  Cassell, — but  there  is  one  form  we  know 
not;  it  is  that  of  a  stranger;  it  is  that  of  Gough.  A  few  words  from 
Mr.  Buckingham,  who  presides,  and  the  stranger  comes  forward, — but 
he  is  no  stranger, — for  the  British  greeting,  that  almost  deafens  his 
ears,  while  it  opens  his  heart,  makes  him  feel  himself  at  once  at  home. 
Well,  popular  enthusiasm  has  toned  down ;  the  audience  has  re-seated 
itself;  a  song  of  welcome  has  been  sung;  and  there  stands  up  a  man 
of  middle-size  and  middle-age.  Lord  Bacon  deemed  himself  ancient 
when  he  was  thirty-one;  we  moderns,  in  our  excessive  self  love,  delude 
each  other  into  the  belief  that  we  are  middle-aged  when  we  are  any- 
where between  forty  and  sixty.  In  reality,  a  middle-aged  man  should 
be  somewhere  about  thirty-five;  and  such  we  take  to  be  Mr.  Gough's 
age.  He  is  dressed  in  sober  black ;  his  hair  is  dark,  and  so  is  his  face ; 
but  there  is  a  muscular  vigor  in  his  frame,  for  which  we  were  not  pre- 
pared. We  should  judge  Gough  has  a  large  share  of  the  true  elixir 
vitce — animal  spirits.  His  voice  is  one  of  great  power  and  pathos,  and 
he  speaks  without  an  effort.  The  first  sentence,  as  it  falls  gently  and 
easily  from  his  lips,  tells  us  that  Gough  has  that  true  oratorical  power 
which  neither  money,  nor  industry,  nor  persevering  study  can  ever  win. 
Like  the  poet,  the  orator  must  be  born.  You  may  take  a  man  six  feet 
high,  he  shall  be  good-looking,  have  a  good  voice,  and  speak  English 
with  a  correct  pronunciation ;  you  shall  write  for  that  man  a  splendid 
speech,  you  shall  have  him  taught  elocution  by  Mr.  Webster — and  yet 
you  shall  no  more  make  that  man  an  orator  than,  to  use  a  homely  phrase, 
you  can  "make  a  silk  purse  out  of  a  sow's  ear."  Gough  is  an  orator 
born.  Pope  tells  us  he  "lisped  in  numbers,"  and  in  his  boyhood 
Gough  must  have  had  the  true  tones  of  the  orator  on  his  tongue. 
There  was  no  effort — no  fluster — all  was  easy  and  natural.  He  was 
speaking  for  the  first  time  to  a  public  meeting  in  his  native  land — speak- 
ing to  thousands,  who  had  come  with  the  highest  expectations,  who  ex- 
pected much  and  required  much — speaking  by  means  of  the  press  to 
the  whole  British  public.  Under  such  circumstances,  occasional  ner- 
vousness would  have  been  pardonable ;  but,  from  the  first,  Gough  was 
perfectly  self-possessed.  There  are  some  men  who  have  prodigious  ad- 
vantages on  account  of  appearance  alone.  We  think  it  was  Fox  who 
said,  it  was  impossible  for  any  one  to  be  as  wise  as  Thurlow  looked. 
The  great  Lord  Chatham  was  particularly  favored  by  nature  in  this  re- 
spect. In  our  own  time,  in  the  case  of  Lord  Denman,  we  have  seen 
how  much  can  be  done  by  means  of  a  portly  presence  and  a  stately  air. 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     293 

Gough  has  nothing  of  this.  He  is  just  as  plain  a  personage  as  George 
Dawson  of  Birmingham  would  be,  if  he  were  to  cut  his  hair  and  shave 
off  his  mustache.  But  though  we  have  named  George  Dawson,  Gough 
does  not  speak  like  him,  or  any  other  living  man.  Gough  is  no  servile 
copy,  but  a  real  original.  We  have  no  one  in  England  we  can  compare 
him  to.  He  seems  to  speak  by  inspiration — as  the  apostles  spoke,  who 
were  commanded  not  to  think  beforehand  what  they  should  say.  The 
spoken  word  seems  to  come  naturally — as  air  bubbles  up  from  the  bot- 
tom of  the  well.  In  what  he  said  there  was  nothing  new — there  could 
be  nothing  new — the  tale  he  told  was  old  as  the  hills ;  yet  as  he  spoke 
an  immense  audience  grew  hushed  and  still,  and  hearts  were  melted, 
and  tears  glistened  in  female  eyes,  and  that  great  human  mass  became 
knit  together  by  a  common  spell.  Disraeli  says,  "  Sir  Kobert  Peel 
played  upon  the  House  of  Commons  as  an  old  fiddle."  Gough  did  the 
same  at  Exeter  Hall.  At  his  bidding,  stern,  strong  men,  as  well  as 
sensitive  women,  wept  or  laughed, — they  swelled  with  indignation  or 
desire.  Of  the  various  chords  of  human  passion,  he  was  master. 
At  times  he  became  roused,  and  we  thought  how — 

"  In  his  ire  Olympian  Pericles 
Thundered  and  lightened,  and  all  Hellas  shook." 

At  other  times,  in  his  delineation  of  American  manners,  he  proved 
himself  almost  an  equal  of  Silsbee.  Off  the  stage  we  have  nowhere 
seen  a  better  mimic  than  Gough ;  and  this  must  give  him  great  power, 
especially  in  circles  where  the  stage  is  much  a  terra  incognita,  as 
Utopia,  or  the  Island  of  Laputa  itself.  We  have  always  thought  that 
a  fine  figure  of  Byron,  where  he  tells  us  that  he  laid  his  hand  upon  the 
ocean's  mane.  Something  of  the  same  kind  might  be  said  to  be  ap- 
plicable to  Mr.  Gough ; — he  seemed  to  ride  upon  the  audience, — to  have 
mastered  it  completely  to  his  will.  He  seemed  to  bestride  it,  as  we 
could  imagine  Alexander  bestriding  Bucephalus. 

Gough  spoke  for  nearly  two  hours.  Evidently  the  audience  could 
have  listened,  had  he  gone  on  till  midnight.  We  often  hear  that  the 
age  of  oratory  has  gone  by,  that  the  press  supersedes  the  tongue,  that 
the  appeal  must  henceforth  be  made  to  the  reader  in  his  study,  not  to 
the  hearer  in  the  crowded  hall.  There  is  much  truth  in  that ;  never- 
theless, the  true  orator  will  always  please  his  audience,  and  true  ora- 
tory will  never  die.  The  world  will  always  respond  to  it,  the  human 
heart  will  always  leap  up  to  it.  The  finest  efforts  of  the  orator  have 
been  amongst  civilized  audiences.  It  was  a  cultivated  audience  before 
which  Demosthenes  pleaded ;  and  to  whom,  standing  on  Mars'  Hill, 


294  ATJTOBIOGKAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH. 

Paul  preached  of  an  unknown  God.  The  true  orator,  like  the  true 
poet,  speaks  to  all.  He  gathers  around  him  earth's  proudest  as  well  as 
poorest  intellects.  Notwithstanding,  then,  the  march  of  mind,  oratory 
may  win  her  triumphs  still.  So  long  as  the  heart  is  true  to  its  old 
instinct,  so  long  as  it  can  pity,  or  love,  or  hate,  or  fear,  it  will  be  moved 
by  the  orator,  if  he  can  but  pity,  or  love,  or  hate,  or  fear,  himself. 
This  is  the  true  secret.  It  is  this  that  has  made  Gough  the  giant  that 
he  is.  Without  that  he  might  be  polished,  learned, — master  of  all 
human  lore;  but  he  would  be  feeble  and  impotent  as — 

"  The  lorn  lyre  that  ne'er  hath  spoken 
Since  the  sad  day  its  master  chord  was  broken." 

It  was  the  same  when  Mr.  Gough  visited  Scotland.  It  was  said  he 
would  do  for  England,  but  not  for  the  coldly  critical  audiences  of  the 
modern  Athens.  There,  however,  as  here,  Mr.  Gough  found  the  way 
to  all  hearts,  roused  a  similar  enthusiasm,  and  achieved  a  similar  suc- 
cess. It  was  calculated  that  by  the  close  of  the  year,  Mr.  Gough  had 
addressed  no  fewer  than  one  hundred  and  four  thousand  six  hundred 
persons,  and  that  not  fewer  than  three  thousand  had  taken  the  pledge 
in  consequence  of  his  addresses.  In  his  first  visit  to  London  alone  he 
had  spoken  to  thirty  thousand. 

Perhaps  one  of  the  most  memorable  meetings  in  connection  with  Mr. 
Gough  in  England,  was  that  held  in  St.  Martin's  Hall  on  the  evening 
of  December  28,  1853,  when  children  to  the  number  of  one  thousand, 
belonging  to  the  Bands  of  Hope,  were  present,  and  when,  at  the  re- 
quest of  the  committee,  the  Earl  of  Shaftesbury  presided.  At  the  con- 
clusion of  Mr.  Gough's  address,  in  acknowledging  a  vote  of  thanks,  his 
lordship  said:  "I  do  not  think  thanks  are  due  to  me  for  sitting  here 
and  listening  to  the  most  eloquent,  touching,  convincing,  and  effective  ad- 
dress I  have  ever  heard,  or  was  ever  delivered  on  any  other  platform, 
and  I  am  sure  you  will  join  with  me  in  thanking  Mr.  Gough — which  I 
heartily  do — for  his  efforts ;  and  I  thank  God,  who  has  brought  him  to 
this  country,  as  I  trust,  to  do  a  great  work ;  and  I  am  sure  you  will 
promise,  with  me,  to  do  as  the  children  in  America  have  done, — help 
him  to  the  best  of  our  ability.  The  longer  I  live,  the  more  I  am  con- 
vinced that  intemperance  is  the  cause  of  a  very  large  amount  of  national 
evils,  both  at  home  and  abroad ;  and,  unless  it  is  obstructed  in  its  on- 
ward march,  it  will  in  this  country,  as  in  Australia,  prove  ruinous  to 
society.  I  feel  also  convinced  that  the  future  destinies  of  this  great 
country  are  in  the  hands  of  such  as  those  who  form  the  majority  of  the 
present  interesting  meeting;  and  it  will  be  by  their  instrumentality  that 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     295 

those  evils  over  which  we  mourn  will  be  ultimately  removed.  I  again 
say,  that  the  future  destinies  of  this  land,  my  young  friends,  are  in 
your  hands ;  and  I  would  therefore  exhort  you  to  continue  combating 
with  those  evils  which  have  been  so  eloquently  placed  before  you  this 
evening  by  our  friend,  Mr.  Gough.  We  must  have  by  and  by  a  new 
generation  of  men  and  women ;  and  I  may  say,  that  such  men  as  Mr. 
Gough — and  I  may  also  name  Mr.  Smithies,  the  editor  of  that  excel- 
lent little  paper  .addressed  to  the  Bands  of  Hope — are  doing  much 
towards  bringing  about  the  state  of  things  which  will  transpire  when 
those  of  us  who  have  passed  the  meridian  of  life  shall  have  ceased  our 
labors  to  better  the  condition  of  society." 

From  London,  Mr.  Gough  has  found  his  way  into  all  our  crowded 
homes  of  busy  life.  He  has  traveled  over  almost  all  England  and  Scot- 
land. The  chief  towns  of  each  county  he  has  repeatedly  visited,  and 
wherever  he  has  gone,  he  has  received  but  one  kind  of  welcome,  and  his 
visits  have  led  to  but  one  result.  It  has  been  felt  that  Mr.  Gough 
has  opened  a  way  for  the  propagation  of  temperance  principles  in  circles 
where  those  principles  had  been  viewed  with  indifference,  contempt,  or 
disdain.  Among  his  auditory  have  been  such  ladies  as  the  Duchess  of 
Sutherland,  the  Duchess  of  Argyle ;  amongst  his  chairmen  such  noble 
men  as  the  Earl  of  Shaftesbury,  and  Lord  Robert  Grosvenor.  Many 
members  of  our  Senate,  many  of  our  most  popular  divines,  many  of 
our  ablest  writers,  have  listened  to  his  addresses ;  and  thus  the  influences 
.  of  temperance  principles  have  been  extended  far  and  wide.  As  regards 
the  temperance  cause  itself — equally  gratifying  has  been  the  result. 
Mr.  Gough's  advent  has  revived  the  energy  of  the  temperance  ranks. 
The  good  old  cause  is  again  dear;  the  old  love  is  again  felt;  the  old  cry 
is  again  heard ;  the  old  fire  is  again  seen ;  the  old  banner  again  floats  in 
triumph,  and  complete  success  seems  near  at  hand ! 

To  Mr.  Gough  himself  his  tour  in  his  native  land  must  have  afforded 
peculiar  pleasure.  Some  of  the  incidents  connected  with  it  must  have 
been  peculiarly  grateful  to  a  mind  sensitive  as  his  own.  For  instance, 
on  the  anniversary  of  his  birthday,  August  22, 1854,  a  meeting  was  got 
up  by  the  Temperance  Association  of  the  romantic  little  village  in  which 
Mr.  Gough  was  born.  It  was  a  memorable  day  for  Sandgate.  In  the 
afternoon  addresses  were  delivered  by  Messrs.  Geary,  McCurry,  Camp- 
bell, White,  and  Tweedie,  of  the  Committee  of  the  London  Temperance 
League,  to  the  children  of  Sandgate  and  the  immediate  neighborhood 
who  had  assembled  for  that  purpose  in  great  numbers ;  and  at  the  close, 
each  child  received  from  Mr.  Gough  a  copy  of  his  address  to  the  Bands 
19 


296     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

of  Hope  in  St.  Martin's  Hall.  In  the  evening  a  public  meeting  was 
held  in  the  National  School-room,  which  had  been  kindly  lent  for  that 
purpose  by  the  clergyman  of  the  parish,  and  at  which  that  able  artist  and 
zealous  teetotaler,  George  Cruikshank,  Esq.,  presided.  To  a  meeting 
crowded  in  every  part,  Mr.  Gough  delivered  one  of  his  most  effective 
addresses.  The  occasion  was  affecting.  It  was  his  birthday.  Thirty- 
seven  years  before,  he  was  a  babe  ;  the  cottage  in  which  he  was  born 
was  yet  standing;  those  who  knew  his  beloved  mother;  those  who  knew 
him  as  a  poor  soldier's  boy, — were  around  him.  He  had  traveled  far 
from  his  early  home ;  he  had  dwelt  amidst  the  men  and  cities  of  the  far 
distant  West;  he  had  wandered  in  the  ways  of  sin — far  from  peace  and 
happiness  and  Go'd ;  he  had  been  steeped  to  the  very  lips  in  poverty, 
and  misery,  and  degradation,  and  shame, — and  yet  he  had  been  saved, 
as  a  brand  from  the  burning ;  he  had  been  led  back  to  the  narrow  way, 
from  which  he  had  so  long  strayed — and  saved  himself.  He  had  been 
enabled  to  devote  to  the  salvation  of  others  a  zeal  that  never  tired,  an 
eloquence  that  never  wearied,  a  tongue  that  never  grew  cold  or  dull. 
At  the  age  of  twelve  he  had  gone  forth  from  that  village  home  ; — another 
twelve  years,  and  he  had  signed  the  temperance  pledge ; — another 
twelve,  and  he  was  back  in  his  village  home  again  : — and  here  he  was, 
with  beauty  and  fashion  and  wealth  around  ;  filling  bright  eyes  with 
tears, — softening  manly  hearts, — teaching  the  drunkard  to  burst  his 
chains  ;  or  showing  the  young  how  alone  they  could  be  safe.  No  won- 
der that  the  scene  was  one  that  will  not  soon  be  forgotten  by  those  who- 
were  there  ;  or  that  on  Mr.  Gough  himself  the  effect  was  great ;  or  that 
even  in  his  strange  career  he  could  find  no  incident  more  startling  or 
strange.  . 

And  yet,  such  passages  are  numerous  in  Mr.  Gough's  history.  The 
writer  will  not  soon  forget  almost  a  similar  one,  which  happened  in 
Drury  Lane,  in  Dec.,  1854.  Old  Drury  was  filled  with  as  choice  an 
audience  as  ever  gathered  within  its  capacious  walls ;  for  Mr.  Gough 
was  to  give  an  address,  and  the  Earl  of  Shaftesbury  was  to  take  the 
chair.  It  is  unnecessary  to  add  that  Mr.  Gough  kept  up  the  attention 
of  his  audience  to  the  very  last ;  that  whether  he  were  grave  or  gay — 
whether  he  told  the  old  sad  story,  or  called  up  smiles  in  all  faces — his 
efforts  were  equally  powerful.  So  much  so,  indeed,  that  the  Earl  of 
Shaftesbury,  in  replying  to  thanks  for  his  conduct  in  the  chair,  perhaps 
pronounced  the  most  flattering,  yet  truthful  eulogiums  that  have  ever 
greeted  Mr.  Gough.  The  noble  Earl  referred,  in  language  perfectly  un- 
premeditated, yet  graceful  and  expressive,  tp  the  delight  he  had  received 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     297 

* 
in  being  permitted  to  listen  to  such  addresses  as  those  of  Mr.  Gough. 

He  declared  that  it  was  utterly  impossible  to  overrate  the  value  of  Mr. 
Gough's  labors; — that  they  were  above  all  praise;  and  that  he  deemed 
the  preservation  of  Mr.  Gough's  health,  and  his  continuance  in  his  ad- 
vocacy of  the  temperance  piinciples,  as  essential  to  the  welfare — not  of 
England  or  America  alone,  but  of  the  whole  civilized  world.  Such  ant 
allusion  to  himself  in  such  a  place,  and  from  such  a  man — one  of  the 
very  flower  of  our  aristocracy — was  too  much  for  Mr.  Gough  :  the  past 
all  came  back  to  him  again  ;  all  its  pain  and  agony  and  despair.  He 
thought  of  what  he  had  been  in  that  fearful  time ;  and  then  he  thought 
of  what  he  was  ! — of  the  peace  and  sunshine  of  the  present ;  and  again 
he  rose  to  utter  feelings  which  he  could  not  repress — to  say  how  bitter 
had  been  his  path — what  light  and  hope  beamed  on  it  now,  and  to  re- 
cord his  entire  consecration  to  the  cause  that  had  done  so  much  for  him . 
We  need  not  add  that  the  scene  highly  affected  all  present.  "  What  a 
sublime  man  it  is  !  "  said  Soyer,  the  great  gastronome,  to  the  writer,  as 
they  came  out  of  the  theater  together.  The  writer  felt  that  this  was, 
perhaps,  the  highest  compliment  ever  paid  to  Mr.  Gough.  Soyer  enthu- 
siastic at  a  teetotal  lecture,  was  a  sight,  certainly,  we  never  expected 
to  see. 

And  now.  in  taking  leave  of  our  subject,  we  cannot  but  express  our 
hope  that  Mr.  Gough's  feeble  strength  may  be  renewed,  that  his  resi- 
dence among  us  may  be  continued,  and  that  for  many  a  coming  year  he 
may  preach  temperance,  and  what  follows  in  its  train,  in  his  native  land. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  a  long  article,  that 
appeared  in  the  "  British  Banner,"  from  the  pen  of 
Eev.  Dr.  Campbell : — 

The  expectation  was  obviously  very  great ;  and,  if  we  mistake  not, 
a  feeling  somewhat  allied  to  disappointment  ran  through  the  hall  on  Mr. 
Gough's  being  introduced  side  by  side  with  the  chairman,  whose  com- 
manding and  dignified  presence  only  tended  to  make  matters  worse. 
There  was  certainly  nothing  that  gave  promise  of  what  was  to  follow. 
There  stands  before  the  audience,  a  man  of  the  most  unpretending  air, 
apparently  about  thirty-two,  or  thirty-three  years  of  age,  five  feet  eight 
inches  in  height,  with  a  dark  and  sallow  complexion ;  very  plainly 
dressed  ;  his  whole  mien  bespeaking  a  person  who  had  still  to  learn  that 
he  was  somebody.  Escaping  his  own  notice,  he  has  nothing  to  excite 
that  of  others.  He  might  travel  from  Stoke  Newington  to  Pimlico, 
without  attracting  a  passing  glance  from  even  the  keenest  of  the  fifty 


298     AUTOBIOGEAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

thousand  persons  he  might  meet  in  the  way.  He  might  be  mixed  up 
with  an  assembly,  large  or  small,  without  even  the  most  curious — so 
long  as  he  was  silent — being  induced  to  ask  "who  is  that?"  By  a 
shrewd  stranger  at  the  first  glance,  he  would  probably  be  pronounced  a 
Methodist  preacher — say  of  the  primitive  class.  The  cerebral  develop- 
ment completely  deceives  you ;  phrenology  was  never  more  completely 
at  fault — not  even  in  the  case  of  the  late  far-famed  Dr.  Andrew  Thomp- 
son, of  Edinburgh,  whose  giant  power  lay  concealed  under  the  guise 
of  a  mere  rough,  resolute,  common-place  citizen — or,  perchance,  a  sturdy 
farmer,  who  would  relish  a  glass,  and  a  row  on  market  day,  without  the 
slightest  appearance  of  a  logic  which  was  never  surpassed,  and  of  an 
eloquence  which  subdued  all  before  it.  The  voice  of  Mr.  Gough,  too, 
unites  to  carry  on  the  deception.  At  the  outset  it  is  merely  strong  and 
deep ;  but  it  gives  no  sign  of  the  inherent  flexibility  and  astonishing 
resources,  both  of  power  and  of  pathos.  It  is  in  perfect  keeping  with 
the  entire  outer  man ;  which,  at  ease,  seems  to  draw  itself  up  to  the 
smallest  possible  dimensions ;  but,  when  fired,  becomes  erect,  expand- 
ing in  magnitude  and  stature,  so  as  to  present  another,  and  entirely  new 
man.  Mr.  Gough  is  a  well-adjusted  mixture  of  the  poet,  orator,  and 
dramatist, — in  fact,  an  English  Gavazzi.  Gough  is,  in  all  respects, — 
in  stature,  voice,  and  force  of  manner, — on  a  scale  considerably  lower 
than  the  great  Italian  orator.  Gavazzi  is  more  grand,  more  tragic, 
more  thoroughly  Italian  ;  but  much  less  adapted  to  an  English  auditory. 
In  their  natural  attributes,  however,  they  have  much  in  common.  If 
Gavazzi  possesses  more  power,  Gough  has  more  pathos.  This  is  the 
main  difference, — the  chief;  and  here  the  difference  is  in  favor  of 
Gough.  Gough  excels  Gavazzi  in  pathos,  far  more  than  Gavazzi  excels 
Gough  in  power.  Then,  Gough  is  more  moderate  in  his  theatrical  dis- 
plays. He  paints  much  more,  and  acts  much  less ;  while,  as  to  force 
and  general  effects,  he  is,  of  course,  on  high  vantage  ground,  speaking 
his  native  tongue,  and  among  his  fellow  countrymen.  He  is,  in  this 
respect,  in  England,  what  Gavazzi  would  be  in  Italy.  Both  find — and 
find  to  an  equal  extent — their  account  in  their  histrionic  manner. 

Last  night  the  address  was  a  succession  of  pictures, 

delivered  in  a  manner  the  most  natural ;  and  hence,  at  one  time,  feel- 
ing was  in  the  ascendant,  and  at  another,  power.  His  gift  of  mimicry 
seemed  great.  This  perilous,  though  valuable  faculty,  however,  was 
but  sparingly  exercised.  It  is  only  as  the  lightning,  in  a  single  flash, 
illuminating  all,  and  gone, — making  way  for  the  rolling  peal  and  the 
falling  torrent.  Throughout  the  whole  of  last  night  he  addressed  him- 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     299 

self  to  the  fancy  and  to  the  heart.  "We  cannot  doubt,  however,  that 
Mr.  Gough  is,  in  a  very  high  degree,  capable  of  dealing  with  prin- 
ciples, and  grappling  with  an  adversary  by  way  of  argument ;  but  he 
adopted  a  different, — and,  as  we  think,  a  much  wiser  course  for  a  first 
appearance.  The  mode  of  address  is  one  of  which  mankind  will  never 
tire  till  human  nature  becomes  divested  of  its  inherent  properties.  He 
recited  a  series  of  strikingly  pertinent  facts,  all  of  which  he  set  in 
beautiful  pictures.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  unity  of  the  impression ; 
while  nothing  could  be  more  multifarious  than  the  means  employed  to 
effect  it.  It  was  a  species  of  mortar-firing,  in  which  old  nails,  broken 
bottles,  chips  of  iron,  and  bits  of  metal,  together  with  balls  of  lead, — 
anything,  everything  partaking  of  the  nature  of  a  missile, — were  avail- 
able. The  compound  mass  was  showered  forth  with  resistless  might 
and  powerful  execution.  The  great  idea,  which  was  uppermost  all  the 
evening,  was, — the  evils  of  drinking ;  and,  under  a  deep  conviction  of 
that  truth,  every  man  must  have  left  the  assembly.  The  conclusion  to 
which  we  have  come,  then,  is  that  the  merits  of  Mr.  Gough  have  by  no 

means  been  over-rated Oratorically  considered,  he  is  never 

at  fault.  While  the  vocable  pronunciation,  with  scarcely  an  exception, 
is  perfect,  the  elocutionary  element  is  every  way  worthy  of  it.  He  is 
wholly  free,  on  one  hand,  from  heavy  monotony ;  and,  on  the  other, 
from  ranting  declamation,  properly  so-called.  There  is  no  mouthing, 
no  stilted  shouting.  His  whole  speaking  was  eminently  true ;  there  is 
nothing  false,  either  in  tone  or  inflection ;  and  the  same  remark  applies 
to  emphasis.  All  is  truth ;  the  result  is  undeviating  pleasure,  and 
irresistible  impression.  His  air  is  that  of  a  man  who  never  thought 
five  minutes  on  the  subject  of  public  speaking,  but  who  surrenders 
himself  to  the  guidance  of  his  genius,  while  he  ofttimes  snatches  a 
grace  beyond  the  reach  of  art.  In  Mr.  Gough,  however,  there  are 
far  higher  considerations  than  those  of  eloquence.  We  cannot  close 
without  adverting  to  the  highest  attribute  of  his  speaking :  it  is  per- 
vaded by  a  spirit  of  religion.  Not  a  word  escapes  him  which  is 
objectionable  on  that  score.  Other  things  being  equal,  this  never  fails 
to  lift  a  speaker  far  above  his  fellows. 

And  now,  having  ventured  to  insert  in  my  book, 
and  by  it,  to  perpetuate  these  favorable  opinions; 
fearing  that  I  might  become  puffed  up,  unless  I  had 
some  check,  I  will  here  insert  another  extract,  giving 


300     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

what  an  old  lady  called  "the  bane  and  the  antigoat." 
William  Wells  Brown,  a  colored  man,  and  an  escaped 
slave,  published  a  book  entitled:  "Three  Years  in 
Europe;  or  iplaces  I  have  seen,  and  people  I  have 
met."  Eight  months  after  my  arrival  in  England,  a 
handbill  made  its  appearance,  and  was  posted  on  the 
walls  in  North  Shields,  at  the  time  I  was  appointed 
to  lecture  there,  containing  the  following  extract  from 
William  Wells  Brown's  book : — 

"But  the  most  noted  man  in  the  movement  at  the  present  time,  and 
the  one  best  known  to  the  British  public,  is  John  B.  Gough.  This 
gentleman  was  at  one  time  an  actor  on  the  stage,  and  subsequently  be- 
came an  inebriate  of  the  most  degraded  kind.  He  was,  however,  re- 
claimed through  the  great  Washingtonian  movement  that  swept  over  the 
United  States  a  few  years  since.  In  stature,  Mr.  Gough  is  tall  and 
slim,  with  black  hair,  which  he  usually  wears  too  long.  As  an  orator, 
he  is  considered  among  the  first  in  the  United  States.  Having  once 
been  an  actor,  he  throws  all  his  dramatic  powers  into  his  addresses. 
He  has  a  facility  of  telling  strange  and  marvelous  stories,  which  can 
scarcely  be  surpassed ;  and  what  makes  them  still  more  interesting,  he 
always  happens  to  be  an  eyewitness.  While  speaking,  he  acts  the 
drunkard,  and  does  it  in  a  style  which  could  not  be  equalled  on  the 
boards  of  the  Lyceum  or  Adelphi.  No  man  has  obtained  more  signa- 
tures to  the  temperance  pledge  than  he.  After  all,  it  is  a  question 
whether  he  has  ever  been  of  any  permanent  service  to  this  reform  or 
not.  Mr.  Gough  has  more  than  once  fallen  from  his  position  as  a  tee- 
totaler ;  more  than  once  he  has  broken  his  pledge,  and  when  found  by 
his  friends,  was  in  houses  of  a  questionable  character.  However,  some 
are  of  opinion  that  these  defects  have  been  of  use  to  him ;  for  when  he 
has  made  his  appearance  after  one  of  these  debaucheries,  the  people  ap- 
pear to  sympathize  more  with  him ;  and  some  thought  he  spoke  better. 
If  we  believe  that  a  person  could  enjoy  good  health  with  water  on  the 
brain,  we  would  be  of  opinion  that  Mr.  Gough's  cranium  contained  a 
greater  quantity  than  that  of  any  other  living  man.  When  speaking  be- 
fore an  audience,  he  can  weep  when  he  pleases ;  and  the  tears  shed  on 
these  occasions  are  none  of  your  make-believe  kind — none  of  your  small 
drops  trickling  down  the  cheeks,  one  at  a  time ; — but  they  come  in 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     301 

great  showers,  so  as  to  sprinkle  upon  the  paper  which  he  holds  in  his 
hand.  Of  course,  he  is  not  alone  in  shedding  tears  in  his  meetings, — 
many  of  his  hearers  usually  join  him;  especially  the  ladies — as  these 
showers  are  intended  for  them.  However,  no  one  can  sit  for  an  hour, 
and  hear  John  B.  Gough,  without  coming  to  the  conclusion  that  he  is 
nothing  more  than  a  theatrical  mountebank." 

I  was  so  surprised,  and  startled  at  this,  knowing 
something  of  Mr.  Brown,  and  forming  a  high  opinion 
of  him,  that  I  almost  indignantly  denied  that  he  was 
the  author  of  such  an  ungenerous  article,  on  one  who 
had  never  harmed  him,  and  persisted  in  my  disbelief, 
till  a  friend  sent  me  the  volume,  with  the  following 

written  on  the  fly-leaf: — 

"  M 25,  3d  Mo. 

My  Dear  Friend, — Accept  this  volume  as  a  token  of  tmy  deep 
sympathy  for  the  pain  caused  by  the  unfounded  libel  on  tfiy  character 
contained  therein,  and  of  my  sorrow  for  the  infatuation  that  prompted 
the  author  to  insert  it.  Thine  sincerely,  T.  R.  T. 

Tastes  differ,  and  I  suppose  there  cannot  be  found 
on  this  earth,  the  man  who  can  please  everybody; 
and  it  is  well  that  it  should  be  so,  for  "variety  is  the 
spice  of  life,"  and  varieties  of  opinion,  give  occasion 
for  quite  an  amount  of  spice  in  their  expression.  We 
must  take  the  bitter  with  the  sweet,  and  be  thankful. 


CHAPTER  XXL 

Route  to  Scotland — Edinburgh — Fete  at  Surrey  Gardens — Visit  to 
Sandgate — Old  Friends — Old  Associations — My  Home — The  Old 
Nail — Speech  at  Folkestone — Mrs.  Beattie — Reverence  Paid  to  Rank 
—My  Father's  Clergyman — Return  to  London — London  Fog — 
Christmas  at  George  Campbell's. 

WE  were  now  fairly  engaged  in  constant  work.  I 
delivered  lectures  in  the  principal  towns  on  the  route 
to  Scotland,  and  on  the  24th  of  August,  we  left  New- 
castle on  Tyne,  for  Galashiels,  near  Melrose  and 
Abbotsford,  where,  for  the  first  time,  I  addressed  a 
Scottish  audience.  After  the  lecture,  we  ate  salmon 
caught  in  the  Tweed,  and  heard  'Burns'  songs  sung  in 
the  pure  Scotch  dialect.  We  went  on  to  Glasgow, 
and  were  met  by  Archibald  Livingston,  Esq.,  who  con- 
ducted us  to  our  lodgings ;  had  an  immense  crowd  at 
the  city  hall ;  and,  on  Saturday,  went  down  the  Clyde 
to  spend  the  Sabbath*  at  Kilmun,  with  Mr.  Livingston 
and  his  family.  We  proceeded  the  next  week  through 
Paisley  and  Barrhead  to  Edinburgh. 

I  am  entering  a  little  more  into  detail  than  I  in- 
tended ;  but  I  wish  to  record,  somewhat  minutely,  my 
first  appearance,  and  labor  in  Great  Britain.  The 
people  were  very  kind  to  us,  and  overwhelmed  us 
with  their  hospitable  attentions.  I  became  very 
much  attached  to  Edinburgh — "Auld  Reekie,"  as  the 
Edinburghians  love  to  call  their  beloved  city.  The 
guide-books  give  a  better  description  of  this  mag- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGE.     303 

nificent  and  picturesque  metropolis  of  Scotland  than 
I  can ;  and  though  we  were  interested  deeply  in  the 
Castle  Hill,  Arthur's  Seat,  the  Canongate,  Holyrood, 
and  all  the  historical  associations  clustering  round  the 
city,  we  were  more  interested  in  the  personal  friend- 
ships formed,  the  warm  hearts  that  gave  us  welcome 
to  their  hospitable  homes.  "Auld  Reekie"  will  ever 
be  associated  in  our  minds  with  Dr.  Gutjirie,  Pro£ 
Miller,  Thomas  Knox,  Ebenezer  Murray,  Rev.  W.  Reid, 
and  other  true,  warm  friends,— even  more  than  with 
the  glorious  rock  of  Dun-Eden,  or  the  couchant  lion 
of  Arthur's  Seat.  As  I  turn  over  my  scrap-books, 
containing  notices,  more  than  would  fill  ten  volumes 
like  this, — good,  bad,  and  indifferent, — of  my  work, 
I  am  strongly  tempted  to  make  a  few  more  extracts 
from  the  journals  of  such  cities  as  Edinburgh,  Glas- 
gow, Manchester,  and  the  like;  and  I  shall  probably 
yield  to  the  temptation,  at  the  risk  of  having  wrong 
motives  imputed  to  me.  My  first  lecture  was  given 
in  Edinburgh  on  September  1st.  The  chairman  of 
the  meeting  was  Duncan  McLaren,  the  Lord  Provost 
of  Edinburgh,  and  the  "Scottish  Press"  devoted  a 
large  space  to  a  criticism,  and  report.  The  "  Edin- 
burgh News,"  the  "  Constitutional,"  and  other  papers, 
contained  very  full  accounts.  From  Edinburgh  we 
proceeded  to  Liverpool,  and  spent  a  week  with  Mr. 
Harrison ;  from  thence  to  London,  to  attend  a  tem- 
perance fete  at  Surrey  Gardens  on  the  12th.  The 
"London  Illustrated  News"  presented  its  readers  with 
a  graphic  engraving  of  the  procession,  and  thus  spoke 
of  it:— 

"  By  half  past  eleven — the  hour  fixed  for  starting — there  were  many 
thousands  of  persons  assembled,  the  parties  being  conveyed  in  vehicles 


304     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

of  every  character  arid  description,  from  the  aristocratic  four-in-hand  ba- 
rouche, and  the  four-wheeled  phaeton,  down  to  the  more  humble  pleas- 
ure van  and  cart, — the  vans  decorated  with  banners  and  evergreens. 
The  number  of  vehicles  amounted  to  several  hundred.  The  ladies  wore 
favors  of  various  colors ;  but  that  prevailing,  was  white,  with  a  virgin 
white  artificial  rose  ;  and  judging  from  the  number  in  requisition,  the 
artificial  flower-makers  must  have  reaped  a  profitable  harvest.  The 
gentlemen  were  decorated  with  a  rose.  The  procession  was  formed  at 
twelve  o'clock,  and  started,  headed  by  immense  numbers  of  children 
with  flags,  followed  by  the  adult  members  of  the  various  societies,  with 
their  banners  and  bands  of  music  ;  the  rear  being  brought  up  by  open 
carriages,  containing  the  principal  officers  and  advocates  of  the  move- 
ment ;  the  last  carriage,  drawn  by  four  horses,  and  postilion,  containing 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gough,  and  the  President  and  Vice-President  of  the 
League,  the  Hon.  East  India  Company's  band  preceding  them." 

At  the  Surrey  Gardens,  I  spoke  to  an  audience  of 
over  seventeen  thousand — the  largest  I  have  ever  ad- 
dressed. The  weather  was  fine,  and  the  day  passed 
pleasantly.  I  spoke  in  Liverpool,  September  15th 
and  16th;  Leicester,  19th  and  20th;  Birmingham,  21st; 
Manchester,  22d ;  Ramsgate,  26th ;  Folkestone,  29th. 
There  terminated  my  first  engagement  with  the 
League.  Soon  after  I  commenced  my  work  for  them, 
they  had  strenuously  urged  me  to  remain,  at  any  rate, 
for  one  year.  I  wrote  home  to  cancel,  or  postpone 
my  engagements ;  which  proposition  was  acceded  to, 
and  I  agreed  to  deliver  two  hundred  addresses — they 
offering  me  ten  guineas  per  lecture,  and  all  expenses; 
to  commence  with  four  lectures  in  London ;  the  first 
on  Monday,  October  3d. 

I  spent  five  days  in  my  native  village,  from  Sep- 
tember 28th  to  October  3d,  as  the  League  had  ap- 
pointed September  29th  for  Folkestone.  We  went 
from  Ramsgate  to  Folkestone  by  rail,  taking  an  omni- 
bus at  the  station  there,  for  Sandgate,  a  mile  and  a 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     305 

half  distant  I  sat  on  the  seat  with  the  driver,  and 
at  once  addressed  him,  "  Whose  omnibus  is  this  ? " 

«  Mr.  Valyer's." 

"  Stephen  or  Tom  ?  " 

"  This  is  Tom  Valyer's  'bus." 

"  What's  your  name  ?  " 

"  Jim  Stockwell ;  and  I  used  to  go  to  school  at 
your  mother's." 

"  Do  you  know  me  ?  " 

"I  suppose  you  are  John  Gough;  we  heered  you 
was  a-coming." 

We  chatted  of  old  times,  and  old  people,  till  we 
arrived  at  the  "New  Inn," — it  was  the  "New  Inn" 
when  I  was  a  boy, — where  we  took  rooms.  I  was 
too  uneasy  to  remain  there,  so  I  strolled  out  alone, 
to  look  at  the  place ; — the  same  long,  straight  street, 
the  same  names  on  the  shop-fronts, — Jemmy  Bugg, 
the  cobbler;  George,  the  barber;  Reynolds,  the  baker; 
Saunders,  the  shoe-maker;  the  Fleur-de-Lis,  kept  by 
Flisher,  as  of  old ;  Draynor,  the  fish-monger.  I  might 
have  left  but  a  week  ago,  for  all  the  change  in  the 
main  street.  "There's  the  castle!"  How  my  heart 
leaped!  Our  house  is  just  round  the  corner;  but 
there  is  change  here  ;  what  is  it  ?  Ah  !  I  see  now, — 
the  village  green,  where  the  fairs  were  held,  is  gone, 
and  there  is  a  large  National  school  in  front  of  "  our 
house  ; "  not  so  picturesque,  but  more  practical ;  yet 
I  should  have  liked  to  see  again,  the  green  where  I 
had  so  often  played  "  cutters,"  or,  "  all  the  birds  in 
the  air." 

But  the  house — yes,  there  it  is — the  same,  the  very 
same.  The  boulders  my  father  had  laid  so  evenly  in 
front, — the  same  lead-colored  paint, — no  change  ;  it 


306     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

did  not  look  older,  only  smaller.  I  slowly  walked  by 
it,  my  heart  full,  and  passed  round  by  the  Inn,  once 
kept  by  Mr.  Beattie; — the  "Martello  Tower," — in  the 
tap-room  of  which  I  had  often  "spoken  a  piece." 
Another  name  is  on  the  sign — then  the  Beatties  are 
gone!  I  wandered  about  till  drawn  back  to  the 
house.  As  I  turned  the  corner,  and  came  in  sight  of 
it,  I  saw  a  group  of  women  near  the  door.  Then  I 
heard,  "There  he  is!  that's  him!"  and  they  came 
toward  me.  "Why  Johnny,  don't  you  know  me ?" 
"It  is  Mrs.  Beattie."  "Bless  his  heart — he  remem- 
bers me ! "  And  the  dear  old  lady  threw  her  arms 
about  me,  regardless  of  the  proprieties, — which  did 
not  disturb  me  in  the  least.  I  shook  hands  with  and 
recognized  several ;  but  dear  Mrs.  Beattie,  who  sent 
me  the  gingerbread  and  milk  on  board  ship,  twenty- 
four  years  ago,  held  my  hand  in  hers,  patting  it,  and 
crooning  as  if  I  were  again  "Johnny  Gough."  "Bless 
his  heart — he's  got  his  dear  mother's  mouth  ! — but 
come  into  the  house."  I  inquired  the  name  of  the 
person  living  there,  and  was  told;  and  that  she  ex- 
pected me,  and  had  "tidied  up  a  bit,"  in  view  of  my 
visit.  On  entering  the  room,  I  stood  for  a  few  min- 
utes looking  round  it ;  tears  we^e  in  the  eyes  of  the 
good  women;  at  last  I  said,  "That  cupboard  door 
used  to  be  blue."  "Yes,"  said  the  woman,  "my  boy 
thought  he'd  try  his  hand  at  graining ;  but  it  is  blue 
underneath  the  brown;"  and  actually  took  a  knife 
and  scraped  off  a  portion  of  the  "graining,"  to  show 
me  the  blue.  "Where's  the  trap-door  for  the  coal- 
hole?" "Here!  under  this  rug."  "Let  me  go  down 
in  the  cellar;  I  want  to  see  the  closet  where  my 
mother  ' stirred  me  up"  There  was  the  closet;  I 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OP   JOHN"   B.    GOUGH.  307 

went  into  it,  and  would  have  been  mightily  pleased 
to  receive  the  most  vigorous  "stirring  up"  that  boy 
ever  experienced,  could  my  dear  mother  be  there  to 
"stir  me."  As  I  came  up  the  stairs,  I  said,  "There's 
the  nail  where  I  used  to  hang  my  cap  and  bag." 
"Yes,"  said  the  woman,  "and  that's  the  same  nail." 
"How's  that ?"  I  asked.  "Why,  when  your  poor  dear 
mother  left  the  house,  she  said :  '  There's  John's  old 
cap  and  bag,  that  he  hung  up  before  he  went  away, 
and  I  have  never  taken  them  down ; '  and  I  said : 
1  "Well,  Mrs.  Gough,  I'll  keep  the  nail  there  as  long  as 
it'll  stay,' — -'and  that's  the  same  nail ;  but  your  mother 
took  away  the  cap  and  bag." 

As  we  came  out,  Mrs.  Beattie  said:  "All  the  Sand- 
gaters  are  going  to  Folkestone,  to  hear  you  speak ; 
and  /am  going,  too;  and  I  shall  walk."  "No" — I 
said — "that  you  shall  not;  you  shall  ride  with  me." 
I  left  them,  promising  to  see  them  again,  and  went 
back  through  the  dear,  familiar  street,  to  the  hotel. 
During  the  day  I  climbed  the  hill,  went  into  the 
meadow  called  the  "  slip  " — where  my  sister  and  I  had 
gathered  daisies  and  primroses — over  to  Shorncliffe 
Barracks,  where  I  once  went,  a  little  toddling  thing, 
to  see  my  father,  when  his  regiment  lay  there, — and 
I  drank  in  delight  all  day,  in  the  old  familiar  scenes. 
The  next  day,  I  strolled  about,  full  of  thoughts,  pleas- 
ant and  painful,  and,  in  the  evening,  rode  to  Folke- 
stone, to  deliver  an  address  in  the  Harveian  Institute. 
One  small  circumstance  occurred,  before  I  came  on 
the  platform,  indicative  of  the  contempt  felt,  and  ex- 
pressed by  certain  classes,  toward  temperance.  On 
the  table  was  a  goblet  of  water,  with  a  tumbler 
placed  over  it, — a  would-be  fine  gentleman  stepped 


308     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

forward,  and  taking  off  the  tumbler,  lifted  the  goblet, 
and  placing  it  to  his  nostrils,  gave  a  strong  sniff,  as  if 
he  suspected  its  contents.  This  was  done  with  an  air 
of  patronizing  contempt,  and  the  audience — a  portion 
of  it  at  any  rate — was  delighted  with  the  poor  joke. 
My  wife,  who  saw  it,  said  it  made  her  jingere  tingle 
with  indignation.  The  meeting  passed  off,  and  I 
think  at  its  close,  any  person  would  have  been  hissed 
rather  than  applauded,  for  such  an  attempt  at  wit. 
The  audience,  most  of  them,  came  from  curiosity  to 
hear  the  "Sandgate  boy"  speak,  and  they  listened 
with  apparent  interest. 

On  Friday,  we  were  invited  to  take  tea  at  Miss 
Purday's,  who  kept  the  library  and  reading-room,  she, 
with  her  sister,  having  succeeded  the  old  gentleman, 
who  died  some  years  before.  When  I  was  a  boy,  I 
was  often  employed  to  clean  shoes  and  knives  by  Mr. 
and  the  Misses  Purday,  and  now  I  was  invited  there 
to  tea!  I  was  never  in  their  parlor  but  once  before, 
and  then  it  was  when  desirous  of  obtaining  a  situation. 
I  met  a  gentleman  who  wished  to  engage  a  boy  to  do 
odd  jobs  about  the  kitchen, — and  I  well  remember 
how  I  wore  my  "Sunday  things,"  and  what  an  im- 
pression I  had  of  the  glory  of  that  parlor.  I  asked 
Miss  Purday  about  Mrs.  Beattie,  and  ascertained  she 
was  very  poor;  her  husband  had  failed  in  business, 
the  railroad  had  ruined  the  "posting,"  and  he  de- 
pended very  much  on  the  profits  from  the  hiring  of 
"post-horses" — he  was  now  suffering  from  the  effects 
of  a  paralytic  attack,  and  they  were  much  reduced  in 
circumstances.  Miss  Purday  said  she  had  asked  the 
old  lady  to  come  in  the  evening  and  see  me  there. 
She  came,  and  a  very  pleasant  evening  we  spent, 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     309 

talking  over  old  times.  When  she  went  out,  I  fol- 
lowed her  to  the  hall,  and,  putting  five  sovereigns  in 
her  hand,  asked  her  to  take  them  from  me,  for  I  was 
in  her  debt.  "Goodness  me!  what  for?"  "Don't  you 
know? — for  a  bottle  of  milk  and  some  gingerbread 
you  sent  me  twenty-four  years  ago."  I  will  not  write 
all  she  said  to  me ;  but  I  ascertained  she  was  in  debt 
for  coal,  rent,  groceries,  and  the  like  ;  so  I  requested 
Miss  Purday  to  collect  the  bills,  which  she  did,  amount- 
ing to  <£28  sterling.  These  I  paid ;  and  from  that 
time  to  her  death  in  1864, 1  sent  her,  through  Mr. 
Tweedie,  of  London,  £10  every  Christmas-day,  in  part 
payment  for  the  milk  and  gingerbread. 

These  few  days  in  my  native  village  were  a  per- 
petual feast  to  me.  I  have  forgotten  to  state  that 
my  father  had  followed  me  to  England,  and  was  with 
us  in  Sandgate.  I  expect  I  offended  the  old  gentle- 
man by  a  want  of  proper  respect  for  the  son  of  his 
old  master.  As  we  were  walking  down  the  street 
together,  he  said,  "John,  here  comes  Mr.  Denny,  the 
son  of  my  master."  As  we  came  up  to  him  my  father 
lifted  his  hat,  and  said,  "  Mr.  Denny,  this  is  my  son, 
John  Gough,  from  America."  Looking  at  something 
beyond  me,  the  young  man  said,  carelessly,  "  How  do 
Gough?"  To  which  I  replied,  just  as  carelessly, 
"  How  do,  Denny  ?  "  and  walked  on.  My  poor  father 
was  quite  shocked ;  and  perhaps  I  did  not  do  quite 
right ;  but  at  any  rate  I  was  fully  as  civil  to  him  as 
he  was  to  me.  When  I  was  a  boy  there  was  a  great 
reverence  paid  to  rank  and  station.  The  aristocracy, 
gentry,  and  clergy,  expected  the  "  common  people  "  to 
take  off  their  hats  when  meeting  them ;  but  this  has 
died  out  very  much,  together  with  other  obsolete  cus- 


310     AUTOBIOGEAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

toms,  "more  honored  in  the  breach  than  in  the  ob- 
servance," in  my  opinion.  I  well  remember,  in  that 
very  street,  thirty  years  before,  my  little  sister  and  I 
were  crossing  just  as  a  curricle  was  passing,  when  the 
driver  wantonly  and  cruelly  brought  the  lash  of  his 
whip  across  the  white  shoulders  and  neck  of  my  sis- 
ter. She  screamed  with  the  pain,  and  we  both  ran 
crying  home.  My  father  was  very  angry,  and  asked, 
"Where  is  the  man  who  struck  her ?  "  We  told  him 
he  was  in  one  of  Mr.  Reynold's  gigs.  Taking  us 
children  with  him,  he  went  at  once  to  Mr.  Reynolds, 
who  kept  livery  horses,  and  a  pastry-cook's  shop,  and 
there  we  found  the  little  dumpy  animal — I  think  I 
see  him  now ! — stuffing  himself  with  cheese-cakes. 
My  father,  approaching  him,  as  we  told  him  that  was 
the  man,  said,  "  Look  here,  you,  sir — why  did  you 
strike  this  child  with  your  whip  ?  "  The  little  wretch 
lifted  his  eye-glass,  and,  impudently  staring  at  my 
father  from  head  to  foot,  turned  to  Mr.  Reynolds — 
who  stood  smoothing  down  his  hair,  as  if  to  prevent 
its  standing  with  fright  at  my  father's  temerity — and 
drawled  out,  "  Who  the  devil  is  this  fellow  ?  "  "  Fel- 
low ?  "  said  my  father,  clenching  his  fist,  "  I'll  fellow 
you ;  come  out  of  the  shop  and  I'll  show  you  who's 
the  fellow."  Mr.  Reynolds  hastily  came  to  him,  and 
said,  in  a  low  tone,  "  Mr.  Gough,  that's  Lord  so-and- 
so."  Why  did  my  father  drop  his  clenched  hands 
and  quietly  walk  out  of  the  shop  with  his  two  chil- 
dren ?  Because  he  recognized  the  title  as  belonging 
to  one  who  had  influence  at  the  "  Horse  Guards ; " 
and  rather  than  run  the  risk  of  losing  his  hard-earned 
pension,  he  did  as  you  and  I  probably  would  have 
done, — bore  the  insult,  that  he  might  secure  bread  for 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     311 

his  children ;  and  bread  was  hard  for  him  to  get  in 
those  days.  Remember,  this  was  nearly  forty-five 
years  ago ;  now,  and  even  when  I  was  there  sixteen 
years  since,  no  soldier  would  risk  his  pension  by  knock- 
ing down  any  lord  who  had  insulted  him.  I  found 
many  changes ;  though  few  among  the  people  who 
were  our  neighbors  when  I  was  a  boy. 

My  father's  landlord  was  a  parson, — not  a  very  fine 
specimen  of  a  clergyman,  and  one  that  would  not  be 
tolerated  for  a  day  at  the  present  time.  I  have  heard 
him  use  very  profane  language.  He  would  set  boys 
to  fight,  or  run  races.  On  one  occasion,  in  urging 
one  boy  to  go  faster,  he  said :  "  Run,  you  little  devil, 
— run,  or  I'll — ,"  the  rest  I  will  not  write.  He  was 
rector  in  one  parish,  and  curate  in  another.  He  held 
his  rectorate  some  miles  from  his  curacy,  and  woulcj 
ride  over  on  certain  occasions  to  officiate.  One  Sun- 
day his  congregation  amounted  to  six  persons,  besides 
the  clerk  and  sexton, — or  whatever  they  call  him. 
He  then  made  them  a  proposition, — that  he  would 
either  officiate,  or  give  them  a  shilling  each,  for  beer 
to  drink  his  health  at  the  public  house,  urging  them 
to  accept  the  shilling,  as  it  was  worth  more  than  any- 
thing they  would  hear  from  him.  This  man  was  un- 
frocked not  long  after.  This  was  more  than  forty 
years  ago. 

In  all  my  contact  with  clergymen  in  England,  I 
was  treated  with  the  utmost  courtesy;  and  I  believe 
there  is  not  a  more  devoted  class  of  men  in  the  world 
than  can  be  found  among  the  clergymen  of  the  Es- 
tablished Church.  For  the  promotion  of  the  temporal 
and  spiritual  welfare  of  their  charge,  for  persevering, 
self-denying  efforts  to  inculcate  true  religion,  for  hard 
20 


312     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

work  among  their  people,  in  season  and  out  of  season, 
for  the  Master,  they  are  not  excelled  by  clergymen 
of  any  denomination  in  any  country. 

On  Monday,  October  3d,  we  left  Sandgate  for  Lon- 
don, to  commence  my  work  for  the  League,  under  the 
new  arrangement,  and  gave  four  addresses  there, — 
two  in  Exeter  Hall,  one  in  Sion  Chapel,  the  other  in 
Music  Hall,  Store  Street.  From  London  to  Chatham, 
Canterbury,  and  Ashford.  While  there,  I  rode  five 
miles  to  Braybourne,  and  visited  my  mother's  birth- 
place ;  then  to  Brighton,  Bath,  and  other  places — 
such  as  Gloucester,  Cheltenham,  Norwich,  etc. ;  again 
to  London,  November  18th,  for  four  more  lectures — 
three  in  Exeter  Hall,  the  other  in  Store  Street.  My 
first  experience  of  the  celebrated  London  fog  was  on 
the  evening  of  November  22d,  in  Exeter  Hall,  where 
in  twenty  minutes  from  its  first  appearance,  I  could 
scarcely  see  the  people  in  the  gallery.  I  have  tried 
to  describe  it,  but  failed  to  convey  any  idea  of  its 
true  and  odious  nature,  to  those  who  have  never  ex* 
perienced  it.  And  yet,  I  enjoyed  some  features  ot 
it;  the  bewilderment, — when,  within  a  street  or  two 
of  your  residence,,  you  are  completely  lost  and  con- 
fused,— has  something  of  a  comical  side  to  it,  and  we 
occasionally  see  the  temperaments  of  men  developed 
in  the  different  conduct  of  different  individuals  under 
the  same  circumstances.  One  man  stumbles  against 
another :  "  Ah !  I  beg  your  pardon,  ha !  ha !  very 
thick  to-night."  Another  couple  meet :  "  Now  then, 
now  then,  that's  the  third  time  I've  been  run  into." 
A  third  couple  come  in  contact,  and  perhaps  it  is : 
"Confound  you,  where  are  you  driving  to — can't  you 
see?"  But  Londoners  become  used  to  their  fog — 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH.  313 

men  can  get  used  to  anything.  A  man  in  New  Hamp- 
shire had  become  so  used  to  matrimony,  that  on  the 
occasion  of  marrying  his  fourth  wife,  when  the  minis- 
ter requested  the  couple  to  stand  up  he  said:  "I've 
usually  sat." 

We  left  London  to  visit  the  Provinces, — as  all  Eng- 
land out  of  the  metropolis  is  called — returning  De- 
cember 24th.  We  visited  Sheffield,  and  while  there, 
called,  in  company  with  Daniel  Doncaster,  who  was 
our  host,  on  the  venerable  James  Montgomery.  He 
received  us  very  cordially,  and  we  spent  an  hour  with 
him  in  delightful  conversation ;  on  leaving,  he  shook 
hands  with  us  heartily,  and  expressed  his  deep  inter- 
est in  America,  and  her  prosperity.  He  very  kindly 
gave  me  four  original  verses  on  different  sheets,  as 
autographs,  one  of  which,  with  John  Bright's,  T  sent  to 
the  Sanitary  Fair,  at  Albany,  during  the  war.  I  have 
two  remaining,  which  I  prize  very  highly. 

We  kept  our  first  Christmas  at  George  C.  Camp- 
bell's, with  a  large  party  of  friends.  I  spoke  in  Exeter 
Hall  on  the  27th  and  29th ;  in  St.  Martin's  Hall  on 
the  28th  ;  and  left  for  Scotland,  arriving  in  Edinburgh 
on  Friday  the  30th ;  and  delivered  an  address  on  the 
last  day  of  the  year,  in  Queen  Street  Hall.  So  ended 
the  year  1853 — long  to  be  remembered  by  me  with 
delight  and  thankfulness. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Places  of  Interest — Brymbo  Hall — John  Bright — The  Soldier  and  his 
Wife — Second  Visit  to  Sandgate — Newstead  Abbey — Vandalism — 
Farewell  Addresses — Departure  for  America — Review  of  Work — Ar- 
guments for  Drinking — Scriptural  Arguments — Murray's  Lectures. 

THE  next  year,  1854,  I  was  employed  constantly 
in  the  principal  cities  and  towns  in  England  and  Scot- 
land; visiting,  as  occasion  offered,  the  objects  of  in- 
terest,— castles,  abbeys,  ruins,  gentlemen's  seats,  and 
the  places  made  memorable  by  the  famous  men  who 
had  inhabited  them, — all  of  which  are  fully  de- 
scribed in  the  journals  of  the  tourist.  Scotland  was 
full  of  interest  to  us.  When  in  Edinburgh  I  procured 
"  Chambers'  Chronicles "  of  that  city,  and  would  read 
awhile  and  then  start  off  to  visit  the  places  men- 
tioned. Cardinal  Beaton's  house  in  the  Cowgate,  at 
the  foot  of  Blackfriars'  Wynd ;  John  Knox's  house  in 
the  High  Street ;  the  old  palace  of  the  Dukes  of  Gor- 
don in  the  Canongate ;  sometimes  to  Holyrood ;  and 
again  through  the  Canongate  down  the  West  Bow,  to 
the  famous  spot  where  so  many  of  the  true,  and  the 
brave,  "Glorified  God  in  the  Grassmarket ; "  or  the 
old  church-yard  where  the  Covenanters  signed  their 
famous  document;  then  away  to  Arthur's  Seat,  where 
Jennie  Deans  met  her  lover;  or  perhaps  take  a  run 
out  to  Craigmillar  Castle,  to  muse  of  Mary  and  her 
fortunes.  In  fact,  Scotland  was  full  of  historical 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     315 

associations,  and  no  one  should  visit  that  portion  of 
Great  Britain  unless  well  posted  in  her  history.  A 
favorite  walk  of  mine,  was  from  Holyrood,  up  the 
Canongate,  through  the  High  Street  and  Lawn  Mar- 
ket, to  Castle  Hill,  by  the  Duke  of  Argyle's  residence, 
and  St.  Giles'  Church,  where  Jenny  Geddes  threw  the 
stool  at  the  head  of  the  minister. 

We  remained  in  Scotland  from  January  1st  to 
March  6th,  when  we  left  for  Carlisle,  Newcastle,  and 
Sunderland,  to  Darlington,  where  we  spent  a  few 
days  at  "Polam  House,"  with  the  Misses  Proctor,  and 
visited  "Raby  Castle,"  the  seat  of  the  Duke  of  Cleve- 
land ;  then  to  Hull,  where  we  first  met  Rev.  Newman 
Hall;  on  through  Lancashire,  to  Liverpool;  then  to 
Chester  and  Wrexham.  We  had  received  an  invita- 
tion from  W.  H.  Darby,  Esq.,  of  Brymbo  Hall,  to 
spend  a  few  days  at  his  residence  with  some  friends, 
— among  them  John  Bright.  We  were  at  Brymbo 
Hall  five  days.  I  spoke  at  Wrexham  April  12th  and 
loth,  returning  to  Mr.  Darby's  each  evening  after  the 
lecture,  most  of  the  party  accompanying  me.  Mr. 
Bright  presided  at  one  of  the  lectures.  I  had  met 
him  previously  at  Rochdale,  where  he  had  taken  the 
chair  at  a  meeting  I  held  there.  We  enjoyed  our 
visit  exceedingly.  Good  Friday  fell  on  the  14th  of 
April  that  year,  and  the  day  was  devoted  to  an  ex- 
cursion among  the  mountains,  and  afterwards  a  din- 
ner given  to  Mr.  Darby's  workmen,  employed  in  his 
large  furnaces.  Mr.  Bright  spoke  to  them,  and  I  said 
a  few  words  afterwards.  We  attended  Quaker  ser- 
vice in  the  large  drawing-room  on  Sunday,  and  left 
by  way  of  Southport,  Liverpool  and  Blackburn,  to 
London.  While  at  Brymbo  Hall,  I  asked  Mr.  Bright 


316     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

if  he  would  write  a  few  lines  in  a  commonplace  book 
I  had  with  me,  in  which  many  of  my  friends  had 
written.  He  complied,  and  wrote  the  following.  I 
insert  it,  as  I  consider  it  well  worth  preserving : — 

The  History  of  the  United  States  is  the  history  of  a  great  nation 
which,  with  a  daring  equal  to  that  of  the  navigator  who  first  discov- 
ered her  shores,  traverses  the  political  ocean,  guided  by  the  wrecks 
of  systems  that  have  failed,  and  by  the  principles  which  monarchs  and 
statesmen  have  scornfully  rejected.  The  American  Commonwealth  is 
not  a  copy,  it  is  a  great  original, — it  treads  a  path  all  but  untrodden 
by  every  other  State,  and  makes  discoveries  which  heretofore  historians 
in  their  brightest  pages  have  not  recorded.  JOHN  BRIGHT. 

On  a  visit  to  Brymbo  Hall,  Denbighshire,  4th  mo.,  l&th,  1854. 

We  reached  London  on  Saturday;,  April  22,  where  I 
remained  three  weeks,  and  delivered  twelve  addresses, 
six  of  them  in  Exeter  Hall,  and  left  on  the  loth,  to 
attend  the  anniversary  of  the  Scottish  Temperance 
League — one  of  the  best  organizations  for  the  promo- 
tion of  temperance  in  the  world.  On  the  Sabbath 
previous,  sermons  on  that  theme  were  preached  in 
most  of  the  churches.  On  Monday  was  the  grand 
soiree,  at  which  tea,  cake,  services  of  fruit,  with  music 
and  speaking,  were  provided ;  on  Tuesday  morning,  a 
public  breakfast,  connected  with  which  is  the  annual 
business  meeting  of  the  members ; — and  most  inter- 
esting these  meetings  were.  After  two  lectures  in 
Glasgow,  we  returned  to  England,  spending  some 
time  in  Wales,  Cornwall,  and  Devonshire.  As  I  was 
passing  to  the  Institute  at  Devonport,  I  saw  standing 
near  the  entrance  a  soldier  with  the  two  XX's  on  his 
cap,  and  a  nice-looking  woman  on  his  arm.  As  I 
came  up  he  looked  at  me  very  wistfully,  and,  noticing 
his  cap  and  the  number  of  his  regiment,  I  asked  him  : 
"Was  you  not  stationed  in  Montreal  when  I  was 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     317 

there  ?"  "  Yes,  sir — and  I  signed  the  pledge,  and  have 
kept  it."  His  wife  then  said  :  "  Yes,  that  he  has,  sir!" 
I  then  asked :  "Are  you  going  into  the  Hall?"  "We 
can't  get  in,  sir.  I  obtained  leave  of  absence,  and 
came  with  my  missus ;  but  they  tell  us  it  is  full,  and 
we  are  very  sorry."  I  said  :  "  Wait  a  minute ;  and  I 
went  to  the  door-keeper.  "  Can  you  not  let  this  man 
and  his  wife  pass  into  the  hall  ?  "  "  No,  sir ;  my  orders 
are  to  admit  no  more,  as  there  was  great  complaint  at 
the  overcrowding,  last  time  you  was  here."  "  But,"  I 
said,  "  this  man  is  a  soldier,  who  has  leave  of  absence 
for  to-night,  and  has  come  with  his  wife ;  I  hope  you 
will  let  him  in."  But  the  door-keeper  was  firm ;  he 
had  his  orders,  and  could  do  nothing  in  the  matter  ; 
so  I  speedily  found  the  committee,  and  stated  the  case. 
They  were  not  to  be  moved ;  the  man  and  his  wife 
could  not  be  admitted.  I  pleaded  that  there  were 
only  two  of  them  ; — they  would  not  take  up  much 
room.  The  reply  was,  that  if  they  let  these  in,  they 
must  admit  others,  who  were  shut  out.  At  last  I  said, 
as  I  was  determined  the  soldier  should  be  admitted : 
"  I  very  much  wish  this  man  to  go  in  with  his  wife, 
and  you  must  let  them  pass,  or  I  will  not  go  in  my- 
self; so  if  you  keep  them  out,  you  keep  me  out." 
"  Oh !  sir,  if  you  put  it  on  that  ground,  I  suppose  they 
must  go  in."  And  go  in  they  did. 

We  passed  through  Cornwall,  down  to  Penzance, 
then  back  through  Chard,  to  Southampton,  where  we 
took  the  boat  for  the  Channel  Islands,  and  spent  a 
week  at  St.  Heliers,  in  the  Island  of  Jersey ;  re- 
turned through  Manchester  to  London,  (where  I  de- 
livered thirteen  lectures),  and  attended  a  monster  fete 
at  Surrey  Gardens;  then  left  for  Sandgate  on  the 


318     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

16th,  intending  to  spend  a  week  in  my  native  village. 
My  birthday  was  on  the  22d,  and  a  party  of  gentle- 
men had  agreed  to  come  down  from  London  at  that 
time,  and  make  a  gala  day  of  it,  arranging  for  a  lec- 
ture from  me  that  evening,  in  the  school-house  op- 
posite the  old  house  where  I  was  born.  I  spent  the 
time  in  exploring  the  vicinity,  and  visiting  my  old 
haunts ;  walked  to  Folkestone  by  the  same  path  along 
the  cliffs  I  had  so  often  walked  when  a  boy ;  tried  to 
find  the  old  school — but  that  wras  gone ;  wandered 
about  the  beach ;  then  took  rides  to  Saltwood  Castle, 
and  other  points  of  interest;  and  enjoyed  this  second 
visit  to  Sandgate  exceedingly.  On  Sunday,  I  at- 
tended the  little  Methodist  Chapel,  where  I  pulled 
off  Billy  Bennett's  wig  thirty  years  before.  On 
Tuesday,  my  friends  came  down  from  London  by  the 
first  train,  and  we  spent  the  day  among  the  scenes  of 
my  early  life.  I  escorted  them  to  the  house,  and 
almost  took  the  old  lady  who  lived  there  by  storm,  as 
George  Cruikshank,  William  Tweedie,  G.  C.  Campbell, 
J.  Ewing  Ritchie,  Thomas  I.  White,  and  several  others 
entered  the  little  room.  As  we  all  stood  together,  I 
gave  them  many  reminiscences  of  the  old  days ; — told 
them  of  my  mother  and  her  struggles ;  showed  them 
where  she  sat  when  she  came  from  Dover,  so  weary, 
having  sold  nothing.  Yes,  she  sat  there ; — I  can  see 
her  now, — her  bonnet  dusty,  her  shoes  broken,  her 
poor  weary  head  resting  on  her  toil-worn  hands,  and 
the  tears  coursing  down  her  cheeks ;  and  after  telling 
them  how,  when  I  gave  her  the  money  I  had  received 
for  reading,  she  let  me  take  the  half-penny  for  my- 
self, I  said,  "  Come,  gentlemen,  I  will  show  you  where 
I  spent  that  money."  So  over  we  went  to  Mrs.  Rey- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     319 

nolds,  and  I  said :  "Mrs.  Reynolds,  these  gentlemen 
are  from  London,  and  I  have  been  telling  them  about 
my  mother.  Do  you  remember  when  I  got  five  shil- 
lings for  reading,  and  mother  gave  me  a  half-penny, 
and  I  came  over  here  to  spend  it?"  "Yes,"  said  the 
good  old  lady,  "  yes,  I  remember  that ;  and  how  you 
came  over  here,  as  if  you  were  going  to  buy  up  the 
shop,  and  said — '  Now  Mrs.  Reynolds,  I  want  a  farden's 
worth  of  crups  and  a  farden  back.' "  * 

In  the  evening,  the  meeting  was  held,  and  I  shall 
never  forget  it.  There  were  the  boys  who  had  played 
with  me,  and  had  been  my  mother's  scholars,  now 
men,  and  their  children  with  them;  the  old  people 
that  had  been  kind  to  me ;  some  of  the  gentry, 
with  the  clergy  of  the  place.  How  fast  I  thought 
and  how  rapidly  I  spoke,  and  how,  at  times,  I  was  al- 
most broken  down  by  the  intensity  of  my  emotions, 
I  cannot  chronicle.  I  have,  perhaps,  occupied  too 
much  space  with  the  records  of  my  home  visits,  and 
in  speaking  of  my  mother,  and  some  may  be  impa- 
tient. A  newspaper  writer  said,  in  an  article  on  me  : 
"  We  should  like  John  B.  Gough  better  if  he  would 
not  talk  about  his  mother.  Why  does  he  not  talk 
about  his  aunt,  for  a  change?"  I  can  give  a  good 
reason  for  that, — I  never  had  an  aunt.  If  I  had,  and 
she  had  been  to  me  what  my  mother  was,  I  should, 
most  likely,  say  a  great  many  things  about  my  aunt. 

On  the  24th  we  started  again,  and  visited  Birming- 
ham, where  we  were  the  guests  of  Joseph  Sturge,  one 
of  God's  noblemen.  His  record  is  written  on  many 
hearts,  and  in  Heaven.  That  glorious  face  looks 

*  When  we  went  back  to  the  house,  George  Cruikshank  made  a  rapid,  but 
very  truthful  sketch  of  the  old  place,  which  is  inserted  on  page  49. 


320     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

down  on  me  now  from  the  walls  of  my  library.  We 
made  an  excursion  with  him  to  Warwick  Castle, 
Guy's  Cliff,  and  Kenilworth.  What  a  sunny  day  that 
was !  We  thoroughly  enjoyed  every  hour.  Then  we 
passed  to  Sherwood  Hall,  near  Mansfield,  Notting- 
hamshire, and  were  entertained  by  Wm.  Wilson,  who, 
with  his  interesting  family,  became  my  true  friends ; 
visited  Newstead  Abbey,  and  the  forest  where  Robin 
Hood  roamed.  On  the  occasion  of  this  jaunt,  the 
ladies  proposed  a  walk.  "  Where  shall  we  go  ?  " 
"Would  you  like  to  visit  Newstead  Abbey?"  "Yes, 
indeed,  I  should  be  much  pleased  to  see  Byron's  resi- 
dence. How  far  is  it?"  "  Only  seven  miles,"  was  the 
reply.  "  But,"  I  said  "  you  surely  will  not  walk  that 
distance?"  "Assuredly  we  shall;  but  we  will  order 
the  basket-carriage  for  you."  There  was  some  diffi- 
culty, at  that  time,  in  obtaining  entrance  to  the  Ab- 
bey and  grounds,  and  had  not  Mr.  Wilson  sent  a  mes- 
sage to  the  proprietor,  with  whom  he  was  acquainted, 
we  should  not  have  been  admitted ;  especially  as  we 
were  Americans.  The  reason  of  this  was  explained 
by  the  head  gardener,  who  conducted  us  through  the 
gardens.  Standing  by  the  tree  where  Byron  had 
carved  the  words  "Byron — Augusta"  on  the  last  day 
he  spent  there,  he  said :  "  A  party  of  five — two  gen- 
tlemen and  three  ladies — came  to  see  the  place.  I 
escorted  them.  They  were  full  of  admiration  for  the 
tree,  and  the  carving, — especially  the  ladies.  After 
we  had  left,  and  were  looking  at  the  fish-pond,  I 
missed  one  of  the  ladies  from  the  party,  and  inquired 
where  she  was.  A  gentleman  said, '  She  will  be  here 
in  a  minute.'  Something  in  his  manner  convinced 
me  that  all  was  not  right,  and  I  immediately  went 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     321 

back  to  the  tree,  and — would  you  believe  it,  sir  ? — 
there  was  the  lady  with  a  knife  she  had  obtained 
from  one  of  the  gentlemen,  trying  to  cut  out  the 
bark  his  lordship  had  carved.  You  can  see  the 
marks  of  the  knife  now.  I  went  back  to  them,  and 
told  them  to  leave  the  premises  at  once.  When  I  in- 
formed the  colonel,  he  was  in  a  terrible  rage,  and 
swore  he  would  set  the  dogs  on  them  if  they  ever 
came  again ;  and  since  then,  he  does  not  like  to  admit 
any  Americans  to  the  Abbey.  It  was  a  very  cruel 
thing,  sir; — don't  you  think  it  was?" 

I  told  him  I  thought  it  was  a  wanton  and  wicked 
outrage.  But  I  must  not  chronicle  every  home  we 
found,  and  every  friend  we  made.  That  would  fill 
more  pages  than  this  book  contains, — and  I  pass  on. 

I  commenced  a  series  of  addresses  in  Scotland,  the 
first  in  Glasgow,  September  26,  continuing  on  till 
December  8th,  when  we  ran  up  to  London,  for  ten 
lectures,  and  Christmas  at  George  Campbell's,  return- 
ing on  the  30th  of  December  for  the  great  New 
Year's  festival  at  Edinburgh.  The  remaining  seven 
months  we  spent  in  Great  Britain,  were  fully  em- 
ployed :  in  Scotland  till  March  1st ;  then  up  to  Lon- 
don, passing  through  Hull  and  Leeds,  delivering  nine 
lectures  in  the  metropolis;  back  again  through  Bir- 
mingham, to  Scotland,  speaking  there  from  April  5th 
to  May  25th;  again  to  London,  for  seven  addresses; 
after  that,  in  Lancashire  till  July  19th,  when  we  re- 
turned to  London  for  the  farewell  addresses  there,  and 
in  the  vicinity.  A  devotional  meeting  of  great  inter- 
est was  held  in  the  Poultry  Chapel,  and  the  last  ad- 
dress was  delivered  in  London,  July  30th.  I  spoke 
in  Manchester,  August  1st,  Liverpool,  August  2d,  and 


322     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

on  Saturday,  the  4th,  we  sailed  by  the  steamer  Amer- 
ica for  home.  A  large  number  of  friends  accompa- 
nied us  to  the  ship,  and  amid  cheering  and  waving 
of  handkerchiefs,  with  some  moisture  in  the  eyes,  we 
bade  adieu  to  Great  Britain,  where  we  had  spent  two 
years,  and  set  faces  westward,  for  the  dear  home 
in  our  beloved  republic.  The  two  years  of  work, 
though  hard,  had  been  exceedingly  pleasant.  I  met 
with  no  personal  opposition; — there  were  strong  ob- 
jections expressed  to  my  temperance  principles,  and 
many  of  the  arguments  against  total  abstinence  were 
new  to- me.  I  hardly  expected  to  find  the  Saviour's 
command,  "  Drink  ye  all  of  it,"  quoted  in  support  of 
drinking ;  but  a  highly  respectable  paper,  in  a  well- 
written  article  opposing  total  abstinence,  said:  "The 
principle  of  total  abstinence  is  fundamentally  wrong. 
It  is  disclaimed  by  Scripture.  The  first  miracle  of 
our  Saviour  was  to  convert  water  into  wine.  His 
solemn  farewell  to  the  men  who  were  to  go  and  teach 
all  nations,  was  signalized  by  his  drinking  of  the  fruit 
of  the  vine,  and  his  injunction, ' Drink  ye  all  of  it.'" 
Occasionally,  after  I  had  delivered  lectures,  a  sermon 
would  be  preached  to  expose  the  errors  of  total  absti- 
nence, and  its  tendency  to  infidelity.  I  was  con- 
stantly met  with  Scripture  arguments,  and,  not  being 
learned, found  that  I  became  confused  about  "tirosh" 
and  "  yayin,"  and  other  terms  I  knew  not  the  mean- 
ing of,  and  left  such  arguments  for  those  who  could 
learnedly  meet  them,  and  advocating  the  principle, 
as  far  as  J  understood  it  to  be,  according  to  the  dic- 
tates of  common  sense,  and  sound  judgment, — never 
claiming  that  the  Bible  enjoined  total  abstinence  as 
a  positive  Christian  duty,  in  direct  terms.  Remember, 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     323 

I  do  not  know  but  it  does,  to  those  who  can  read  the 
Bible  in  the  original  tongue;  but  taking  ground  as 
far  as  I  understand  it,  and  can  hold  against  all  the 
learning  in  the  universe,  that  the  Bible  permitted 
total  abstinence, — that  by  the  Bible  it  was  lawful  to 
abstain, — then  declared,  that  as  a  Christian  man,  with 
my  view  of  the  claims  of  Christianity  upon  me,  I  was 
bound  by  my  allegiance  to  God,  by  my  faith  in  Christ, 
and  by  the  vows  I  had  taken  in  His  presence  and 
before  the  people,  to  give  up  a  lawful  gratification,  if 
by  my  giving  up  that  which  is  lawful  for  me,  I  could 
stand  between  my  weaker  brother,  and  the  tempter, 
— that  which  might  overwhelm  him, — and  so,  by 
stooping  to  the  weakness  of  my  brother,  fulfill  the 
law  of  Christ ; — the  giving  it  up,  then,  became  a  posi- 
tive Christian  duty.  . 

This  may  not  be  very  logical ;  but  I  am  not  logical. 
I  cannot  possibly  be  logical,  when  so  many  men  wiser 
than  I  am,  declare  that  I  am  not.  I  never  pretended 
to  logic  ;  I  hardly  know  what  it  means.  I  have  an 
idea  that  logic  may  be  used  to  prove  strange  things. 
When  I  was  a  boy,  I  heard  that  a  young  student,  vis- 
iting his  home  during  vacation,  was  asked  by  his  fa- 
ther to  give  him  a  specimen  of  logic.  "Well,"  said 
he,  "  I  can  prove  by  logic  that  this  eel  pie  is  a  pigeon." 
" How  so  ?"  "Why,  an  eel  pie  is  a  Jack  pie,  a  Jack  pie 
is  a  John  pie,  and  a  John  pie  is  a  pie-John."  "  Good," 
said  his  father.  "  Now  for  that  I  will  make  you  a 
present  of  a  chestnut  horse  to-morrow."  On  the  mor- 
row, with  a  bridle  over  his  arm,  the  young  logician 
accompanied  his  father  to  the  field,  when  they  stopped 
under  the  shade  of  a  tree.  "  There  is  your  horse ; 
bridle  him."  "But  I  see  no  horse."  "  Certainly,  there 


324  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOIldH. 

is  a  horse — a  chestnut  horse."  "Where?"  "There!" 
And  the  old  gentleman,  touching  a  horse  chestnut  with 
his  foot,  said :  "  If  a  John  pie  is  a  pie-John,  a  horse 
chestnut  must  be  a  chestnut  horse  j — it  is  a  poor  rule 
that  will  not  work  both  ways." 

I  found  some  difficulty  in  meeting  Scriptural  argu- 
ments in  favor  of  the  use  of  wine.  A  gentleman  once 
invited  me  to  lunch,  and  the  conversation  turned  on 
total  abstinence ;  when  he  argued  that  wine  was 
spoken  of  with  approval,  only  excess  in  its  use  con- 
demned, in  the  Scriptures.  I  said,  hastily :  "  But 
there  are  different  kinds  of  wine  spoken  of  in  the  Bi- 
ble." "  How  do  you  know  ?"  "  I  know  there  are." 
"How  do  you  know?"  I  was  puzzled;  for  I  could 
not  tell  when  it  was  "tirosh,"  or  some  other  term 
in  the  original ;  and  the  gentleman  seemed  good- 
naturedly  amused  at  my  perplexity,  and  laughingly 
said :  "  Never  make  a  proposition  you  can't  prove. 
Eemember,  I  do  not  doubt  your  statement;  but  prove 
it."  At  last  I  said :  "  I  know  nothing  about  it,  except 
that  it  must  be  so ;  for  the  wine  spoken  of  as  a '  mocker,' 
cannot  be  the  same  kind  as  the  Saviour  made ;  and 
the  wine  that  is  to  be  drank  new  in  the  kingdom,  can- 
not be  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God."  "That"  will  do," 
said  my  host ;  "now  you  have  proved  it,  and  we  will 
go  on  with  the  argument." 

In  many  places,  astonishment  was  expressed  that 
we  drank  no  wine,  even  where  we  were  entertained. 
We  were  once  guests  of  a  gentleman  who  afterward 
became  our  warm  friend.  On  our  arrival,  the  train 
being  late,  dinner  was  over ;  but  said  he :  "  We  will 
get  you  some  lunch  at  once."  I  asked  for  a  glass  of 
water.  "  Oh !  I  will  give  you  something  better  than 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     325 

water."  I  said  "  I  should  prefer  water."  "  But  a  glass 
of  wine  would  be  better  for  you  after  your  journey." 
I  told  him  that  I  never  drank  it.  "  Not  drink  wine ! " 
he  exclaimed.  "You  do  not  mean  to  tell  me  you 
never  drink  wine?  I  infer  you  are  opposed  to  gin, 
and  other  spirits ;  but  you  cannot  be  afraid  of  a  glass 
of  good  wine  or  ale."  I  said  :  "I  am  not  particularly 
afraid  of  it;  but  I  never  drink  it  on  any  occasion." 
"Well, — is  not  Mrs.  Gough  wiser  than  you  are,  and 
will  she  not  take  a  glass  of  wine  ?  "  This  courtesy 
was  also  declined,  the  subject  was  dropped,  and  we 
had  water,  but  I  think  the  gentleman  looked  upon  us 
as  curiosities.  He  often  entertained  us  after  that; 
but  we  never  saw  wine  on  his  table  or  were  asked 
to  take  it.  There  seemed  to  be  a  strange  obtuse- 
ness  and  inconsistency  in  reference  to  this  question. 
At  the  table  of  one  gentleman,  who  gave  a  din- 
ner party  on  the  occasion  of  entertaining  us,  there 
were  wine  and  ale  in  abundance.  All  drank  freely, 
but  Mrs.  Gough  and  I.  On  our  way  to  the  lecture,  I 
said  to  him :  "  I  fear  you  may  be  offended  with  me 
to-night,  and  judge  that  I  violate  the  laws  of  hospi- 
tality, in  what  I  shall  say,  for  I  intend  to  speak 
freely  of  the  custom  honored  to-day  at  your  table." 
He  said,  laughingly :  "  Oh !  no ;  I  shall  not  be  of- 
fended ;  I  am  anxious  to  hear  what  you  have  to  say; 
and  do  not  spare  me  at  all."  After  the  lecture  we 
returned  to  his  house,  and,  as  was  the  custom,  supper 
was  spread,  with  wine  and  ale,  as  at  dinner.  The 
host,  playing  with  the  glass  he  had  just  emptied, 
said :  "  Mr.  Gough,  you  have  an  autograph  book,  I 
believe,  in  which  your  friends  occasionally  write 
words  of  encouragement  to  you  in  your  work.  I 


326  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OP   JOHX   B.    GOUGII. 

should  be  pleased  to  write  something  there."  The 
book  was  brought,  and  he  wrote :  "  My  dear  Mr. 
Gough,  my  children  will  yet  bless  the  day  in  which 
they  met  the  man,  who  so  nobly  denounced  the  cus- 
toms that  are  filling  our  beloved  land  with  woe,"  and 
signed  it.  A  clergyman  who  drank  with  the  others 
at  supper,  said :  "  I  will  write  a  few  words,  if  you 
will  permit  me," — and  he  wrote :  "  May  God  bless 
you,  my  beloved  brother,  and  give  you  strength  to 
hew  in  pieces  the  Agag  of  drunkenness." 

I  was  sometimes  placed  in  an  embarrassing  position. 
One  gentleman  who  entertained  us  at  his  house,  in- 
vited a  large  party  to  dinner.  When  the  cloth  was 
being  removed,  he  said :  "  Gentlemen,  I — I  hardly 
know  how  to  explain,  but  I — you — that  is — hem ! — 
well,  you  will  get  no  wine.  I  ordered  the  butler  to 
decant  no  wine  to-day,  as  a  compliment  to  our  guest, 
Mr.  Gough."  All  looked  at  me,  and  some  rather 
discontentedly.  I  was  a  little  confused  and  mortified, 
feeling  that  they  might  be  vexed  or  angry ;  so  I  said : 
"  I  am  very  sorry  that  you  deprived  these  gentlemen 
of  their  accustomed  beverage,  and  what  they  expect, 
on  my  account.  Please  allow  me  to  say,  that  if  it  is 
right  to  place  wine  on  your  table,  do  it  without  re- 
gard to  any  man's  prejudices  or  whims.  If  it  is  right, 
and  you  have  no  doubt  whatever  about  it,  put  the 
wine  on  your  table,  and  keep  it  there.  If  it  is  wrong, 
never  place  it  there ;  and  if  you  have  the  slightest 
doubt  whether  it  is  right  or  wrong,  put  the  wine  away 
till  you  have  settled  that  question ;  and  give  the  doubt 
the  benefit.  There  should  be  no  apology  for  wine 
if  it  is  right  to  use  it;  and  I  believe  if  none  used  or 
gave  wine,  who  had  the  slightest  doubt  in  reference 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF  JOHN   B.  GOUGH.  327 

to  tKe  right  of  doing  so,  there  would  be  far  less  wine 
presented,  and  drank,  than  there  is."  The  argu- 
ments and  quotations  were  not  always  fair.  One 
person  brought  to  me  the  passage  in  Deuteronomy, 
where  the  children  of  Israel  were  told  to  obtain  what 
their  souls  lusted  after, — "  Sheep,  oxen,  wine,  and 
strong  drink," — as  God's  command  that  the  people 
should  use,  not  only  wine,  but  whisky.  I  at  once 
turned  to  and  read  the  words,  "  If  a  man  have  a  re- 
bellious son  he  shall  bring  him  to  the  elders  of  the 
people,  who  shall  take  him  without  the  city,  and 
stone  him  with  stones  till  he  die."  Then  I  asked: 
"Do  you  consider  this  to  be  a  positive  injunction, 
that  if  your  son  is  disobedient'  you  shall  take  him  to 
the  magistrates,  and  they  shall  stone  him  to  death  ?  " 
"Ah!"  said  he,  "that  was  under  the  old  dispensation." 
I  said,  "  Your  quotation  was  from  the  Old  Testa- 
ment;" and  he  was  angry,  so  we  gave  up  the  argu- 
ment. 

The  objections  brought  against  total  abstinence, 
more  especially  from  Christians,  were  new  and  start- 
ling to  me.  I  had  supposed  the  old  arguments  of 
thirty  or  forty  years  ago,  met  so  triumphantly  in  this 
country,  were  buried  under  such  a  weight  of  evidence 
there  could  be  no  hope  of  their  resurrection.  I  have 
a  volume  of  lectures,  delivered  by  Rev.  Robert  Mur- 
ray, Presbyterian  minister  in  connection  with  the 
Church  of  Scotland,  delivered  in  Canada  in  1839,  and 
dedicated  to  "  the  managers,  elders,  and  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  congregation  in  Oakville,  Canada," 
from  which  I  make  extracts.  After  citing  the  total 
abstainers  to  the  bar  of  God,  to  hear  the  sentence 
pronounced  against  them, — "I  was  hungry,  and  ye 
21 


328     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

gave  me  no  meat,  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  no  drink," 
etc.,  he  says  : — 

Are  you  not  astonished,  when  you  hear  any  man  who  professes  to  be 
a  minister  of  Christ,  urging  upon  ministers,  and  Christians  in  general, 
to  banish  alcoholic  liquors  from  the  churches  of  the  living  God,  and  to 
write  entire  abstinence  in  capitals  over  the  door  of  every  Christian  church? 
Can  you  conscientiously  receive  such  a  man  as  a  minister  of  Christ? 
No,  my  friends.  Christ  foresaw  that  the  time  would  come,  when  such 
men  would  creep  into  the  church,  and  that  such  doctrine  would  be 
maintained  by  them,  and  therefore,  lest  His  own  example  in  using  alco- 
holic liquor,  the  force  of  the  miracle  which  He  wrought  to  produce 
alcoholic  liquor,  and  the  commandment  which  He  gave  His  disciples,  to 
use  alcoholic  liquor,  if  it  was  offered  to  them,  should  all  prove  ineffect- 
ual to  guard  you  against  this  error,  He  ordains  the  use  of  this  very 
liquor  as  one  of  the  symbols  in  the  celebration  of  the  most  solemn 
ordinance  of  the  church. 

And  again: — 

The  use  of  wine  and  strong  drink  is  decidedly  sanctioned  by  the 
Word  of  God.  (Zachariah  ix.  17.)  After  looking  forward  in  the  vision 
of  the  Lord  to  the  ages  of  the  church,  was  led  by  the  spirit  of  God,  to 
hail  with  holy  rapture,  the  introduction  of  that  very  drink  which  the 
total  abstainers  represent  as  hurtful.  "  How  great  is  His  goodness,  how 
great  is  His  beauty !  Corn  shall  make  the  young  men  cheerful,  and 
new  wine  the  maids."  Many  of  you  have  witnessed  this  prophecy 
fulfilled  to  the  very  letter.  Have  you  never  seen  the  young  men 
making  themselves  cheerful  with  malt  liquor,  while  the  young  maids 
were  producing  the  same  effect  by  the  blood  of  the  grape?  The 
prophet  hailed  this  event  as  a  special  manifestation  of  the  great  good- 
ness of  God,  and  for  this  very  reason,  that  when  the  kingdom  of  Christ 
was  extended  from  the  rivers  to  the  ends  of  the  earth,  many  countries 
disqualified  from  yielding  wine  to  cheer  his  people,  would  then  be 
supplied  with  a  drink  from  corn,  possessing  the  same  stimulating 
qualities.  The  prophecy  teaches  us  that  the  corn  would  yield  even 
a  more  stimulating  drink  than  wine,  inasmuch  as  young  men  generally 
require  a  more  powerful  stimulus  than  maids  do,  to  produce  the  same 
degree  of  hilarity.  Thus,  this  passage  teaches  us  to  regard  ardent 
spirits  as  a  manifestation  of  the  great  goodness  of  God  to  the  children 
of  men. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     329 

I  might  make  many  more  extracts;  let  these  suf- 
fice. I  acknowledge  that  I  found  no  one  advancing 
such  absurd  and  blasphemous  arguments  as  these,  for 
ardent  spirits;  yet  among  a  class  of  Christians  and 
Christian  ministers,  I  found  their  stronghold  for 
maintaining  the  drinking  customs,  were  the  Holy 
Scriptures. 

Then,  on  the  other  hand,  some  of  the  true,  warm 
friends  of  the  cause  were  offended  with  me  because  I 
did  not  at  once  denounce  the  drinking  of  intoxicating 
liquors  to  be  positively  sinful  under  any  circumstan- 
ces, arid  any  amount  of  ignorance.  I  said,  "  Under 
certain  contingencies  a  man  might  drink  without  sin ; 
and  I  believed  there  were  men,  better  than  I,  who 
drank;  and  though  I  could  not  drink  without  sin, 
I  would  not  judge  my  brother."  Their  argument 
was,  that  a  sin  is  a  sin ;  it  is  either  a  sin,  or  not  a  sin ; 
and  a  sin  in  one  place,  and  under  one  circumstance,  is 
a  sin  in  any  place  and  under  any  circumstances.  I 
used  this  illustration:  Suppose  I  come  home  from  a 
lecture  very  weary,  and  I  take  off  my  coat,  and  with 
one  foot  in  a  slipper,  and  a  boot  on  the  other,  and  my 
hair  about  my  face,  I  sprawl  out  on  three  or  four 
chairs,  my  head  on  one,  my  body  on  another,  and  my 
feet  each  on  a  chair — is  that  sinful?  It  may  be  very 
ungraceful;  but  I  do  not  commit  sin  by  sprawling  in 
my  own  room  at  twelve  o'clock  at  night.  But  sup- 
pose I  go  into  a  grog-shop,  where  men  are  drinking, 
and  place  myself  in  such  a  position  on  four  chairs — 
what  then?  A  looker-on  may  exclaim:  "Hello! 
there's  some  one  taking  his  comfort.  Who  is  it?" 
"That's  John  B.  Gough,  the  temperance  lecturer." 
"Whew!  Ho!  ho!"  Am  I  not  guilty  of  sin  ?  Why? 


330     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

Because  my  influence  for  good  over  those  who  see 
me,  is  impaired,  or  destroyed ;  and  I  maintain  that 
any  man  who  continues  a  practice,  which  in  itself  may 
not  be  sinful,  yet  impairs  his  influence  for  good  over 
others,  whether  he  be  a  minister  or  layman — accord- 
ing to  my  poor  judgment — commits  a  sin  in  continu- 
ing such  a  practice.  I  have  been  drawn  farther  than 
I  intended ;  but  I  was  constantly  meeting  such  objec- 
tions there,  and  will  not  bore  the  reader  longer  on 
this  topic. 


CHAPTER  XXIH. 

British  Organizations — The  Term,  "  Orator  " — Votes  of  Thanks — In- 
troductions— The  Scotch  Lassies — The  Handkerchief— The  Broken 
Carriage  Window — The  Scotch  Breakfast — A  Run  for  the  Train — 
Hospitalities — English  Comfort. 

THE  organizations  in  Great  Britain  are  established 
in  my  opinion,  on  a  more  permanent  basis  than  in 
this  country.  No  one  who  attends  their  annual  meet- 
ings, their  festivals,  their  weekly  assemblies,  their 
meetings  for  business, — would  fail  to  be  impressed  by 
their  earnestness,  and,  I  may  say,  their  pertinacity  in 
carrying  out  the  objects  for  which  they  are  organized. 
The  Scottish  Temperance  League,  the  London  Tem- 
perance League,  and  the  British  Association, — soci- 
eties with  which  I  am  most  familiar, — have  their  staff 
of  lecturers  constantly  employed,  appointments  being 
made  for  them  at  head-quarters,  viz. :  the  offices  of 
these  associations.  Their  Board  of  Managers,  and 
Standing  Committees,  are  thorough  working  men, 
who  not  only  sympathize  with  temperance,  but  make 
it  a  special  business  to  attend  to  the  interests  of  the 
movement.  I  have  been  edified  by  the  earnestness 
manifested  at  their  business  meetings,  when  I  was 
privileged  to  attend  them,  and  the  carefulness  with 
which  they  deal  with  the  minute  detail,  as  well  as  the 
broader  operations  of  their  societies, — the  patience 
with  which  they  master  difficulties,  and  their  self- 


332     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

denying  efforts  to  achieve  the  greatest  good  most  ef- 
fectually. There  is,  to  be  sure,  some  formality  in  the 
proceedings, — especially  in  their  public  meetings, — 
strange  to  us  in  America,  and  to  some,  annoying ;  yet 
even  this  has  its  advantage  ; — they  make  the  business 
a  serious  and  earnest  one,  and  the  very  formality  of 
their  proceedings,  in  a  certain  sense,  gives  them  a 
greater  stability,  than  if  their  arrangements  were  all 
carried  on  at  loose  ends. 

Here  I  may  be  permitted  to  state,  that  I  always 
disliked  and  protested  against  the  use  of  the  terms 
"orator"  and  "orations,"  as  applied  to  me,  and  my 
speeches.  My  addresses  were  never  "orations,"  and 
I  make  no  pretensions  as  an  orator.  I  know  I  do  not 
possess  the  qualifications  necessary  to  constitute  an 
orator,  in  the  general  understanding  of  that  term ; 
and  as  I  have  been  charged  with  presumption  in  ac- 
cepting the  title,  I  wish  to  say  that  I  never  was  rec- 
onciled to  the  use  of  these  terms,  so  constantly 
applied  to  me  and  my  speeches,  while  there. 

Before  I  had  worked  with  them  many  days,  I  became 
perfectly  satisfied  with  all  their  formalities,  excepting 
the  "votes  of  thanks."  I  never  could  become  en- 
tirely reconciled  to  them ;  yet  where  so  much  was 
admirable  and  excellent,  I  managed  to  overcome  my 
dislike  in  a  great  measure.  Occasionally  there  was 
an  absurd  side  to  this  peculiarity,  when  some  one 
who  had  no  other  qualification .  for  a  public  address, 
than  his  title,  or  social  position,  would  rise  after  my 
lecture  to  propose  a  vote  of  thanks.  I  have  ached 
in  every  nerve  of  my  body,  when,  feeling  anxious 
that  some  good  might  result  from  my  work,  earnestly 
desiring  that  the  pledge  should  be  circulated,  or  per- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     333 

sons  invited  to  come  forward  and  sign  it, — perhaps 
hoping  that  I  had  aroused  some  to  feel  as  I  longed  to 
have  them  feel, — some  worthy  gentleman  would  rise, 
and  after  a  few  preliminary  hems,  say : — 

"  Ladies  and  gentlemen,  I — ah — rise  to  make — in 
point  of  fact,  to  make  a  proposition, — and — hem !  I  am 
quite  sure  that  the  proposition  I  rise  to  make — will 
— I  am  quite  sure — will — in  fact — be — received  by 
this  large — and,  I  may  say,  this  most  respectable  as- 
sembly— I  say  will  be  received,  in  a  manner  that 
shall — that  shall — hem  !  be  gratifying,  most  gratify- 
ing to  the  gentleman  on  whose  behalf  I  rise  to  make 
the  proposition, — that  the  thanks  of — hem !  this  large, 
and  I  believe  I  have  before  stated,  most  respectable 
assembly,  be  presented  to  the  gentleman,  who  has,  in 
point  of  fact,  just  taken  his  seat.  We  have  all  listened, 
I  am  quite  sure  that  /  have  listened  to  a — to — a  " — 
And  then  would  follow  a  statement  of  his  views.  "  I 
cannot  say  that  I  agree  with  the  gentleman  who  has 
just  taken  his  seat,  though  I  must  be  permitted  to 
say" —  Then  a  eulogy.  "But  I  am  not  a — not  a  tee- 
totaler. I  think  that — in  point  of  fact,  that  a  glass 
of  good  wine,  taken  in  moderation — in  moderation — 
is — has — that  is — I  would  say,  that  intoxication  is 
disgusting,  positively  disgusting,  and  so  far  I  am 
happy  to — that  is,  to  agree  with  the  gentleman  who 
has  so, — I  may  say  so " —  Then  another  eulogy. 
"  But  I  may  be  permitted  to  say  " —  And  so  on  for 
fifteen  minutes. 

Then  another  gentleman  is  appointed  to  second  it 
with  a  speech.  Then  it  would  be  put,  and  carried ; 
and  the  proposer,  in  another  speech,  convey  to  me 
the  thanks  of  the  audience.  I  am  expected  to  ac- 


334     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

knowledge  it ; — and  the  only  advantage  in  this  ar- 
rangement is,  that  I  can  reply  to  the  gentleman,  and 
say  the  last  words  in  defense  of  my  position.  After 
that,  there  would  be  votes  of  thanks  to  the  chairman, 
with  the  same  formalities.  I  have  always  protested 
against  the  introduction  of  chairmen  at  temperance 
meetings,  who  were  not  fully  in  sympathy  with  the 
work. 

I  had  some  curious  introductions.  Once  the  chair- 
man said :  "  I  rise  to  introduce  Mr.  Gough,  famous  in 
both  hemispheres  for  his  sublime,  as  well  as  for  his 
ridiculous." 

Another  chairman,  who  aspirated  his  H's,  and  put 
them  hon  when  they  bought  to  be  hofi^  and  took 
them  hoffwhen  they  bought  to  be  hon, — wishing  to 
compliment  me,  and  remembering  that  Samson  slew 
a  thousand  with  a  jaw-bone,  and  sometime  after,  being 
thirsty,  obtained,  by  a  miracle,  water  from  the  dry 
bone,  with  which  he  was  refreshed, — said:  "Ladies 
and  gentlemen,  hi  wish  to  hintroduce  the  horator  of 
the  hevening.  He  comes  from  the  bother  side  of  the 
Hatlantic;  he  is  to  speak  on  the  subject  of  temper- 
ance— a  very  dry  subject — but  when  we  ear  hour 
transatlantic  horator  discourse  on  the  subject  of  tem- 
perance, we  may  imagine  the  miracle  again  performed 
by  which  the  prophet  was  refreshed  with  the  water 
proceeding  from  the  jaw-bone  of  a  Hass ! "  0,  dear !  if 
he  had  only  stopped  at  jaw-bone,  I  should  not  have 
minded  it;  but  that  awful  "H"  almost  extinguished 
me  for  the  time  being. 

Friends  often  presided  at  my  lectures,  and  on  one 
occasion,  a  gentleman  belonging  to  this  society,  was 
invited  to  take  the  chair.  He  was  one  of  the  most 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     335 

refined  and  cultivated  men  I  ever  met.  We  were 
often  his  guests,  and  were  charmed  with  him;  highly 
educated,  a  perfect  gentleman,  entirely  self-possessed. 
He  was  in  the  committee-room,  when  the  chairman 
of  the  committee  asked  him  if  he  would  be  kind 
enough,  before  he  introduced  me,  to  call  on  the  Rev. 

W.  R. ,  rector  of  C Church,  Chelsea,  to  offer 

prayer.  Now,  it  was  entirely  contrary  to  his  views, 
to  give  any  man  a  title,  or  to  ask  any  man  to  pray. 
He  smiled,  and  bowed  assent.  I  wondered  how  he 
would  manage, — when  he  rose,  and  said,  in  his  sweet, 
clear  voice :  "  If  W.  R.  feels  moved  to  pray,  this 
audience  will  be  silent."  It  was  admirably  done. 
The  audience  was  silent,  the  prayer  was  offered,  for 
the  Reverend  gentleman  did  feel  moved  to  pray ; 
and  afterwards  I  was  introduced. 

I  really  long  to  record  the  many  personal  acts  of 
kindness,  and  expressions  of  sympathy  I  received 
from  hundreds  of  friends  in  Great  Britain.  Their 
names  would  fill  a  volume.  They  are  treasured  in 
my  heart, — none  of  them  are  forgotten.  Though  I 
may  never  see  them  more,  or  be  able  to  tell  them 
personally,  how  much  I  owe  to  their  kindness,  yet 
the  remembrances,  as  they  come  to  me  in  the  quiet 
of  my  home,  are  refreshing  to-day.  As  a  general 
thing,  the  people  seemed  to  be  interested  in  my  work. 
I  was  often  accosted  in  the  street,  by  those  who  had 
attended  my  meetings,  and  there  was  a  heartiness  in 
their  greeting  that  was  very  pleasant.  It  seemed 
something  like  a  sense  of  proprietorship  in  me,  with 
none  of  the  patronage  that  is  offensive. 

One  day,  when  strolling  in  Edinburgh,  I  saw  a 
group  of  young  girls,  standing  in  front  of  their 


336     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

school  in  the  Canongate,  looking  towards  me  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  street.  Soon  they  crossed,  and 
walked  near  me,  and  on  either  side  of  me.  One  of 
them  said,  very  modestly  and  prettily:  "Mr.  Cough, 
hae  ye  ony  objection  to  us  lassies  walking  wi'  ye?" 

I  said  at  once :  "  Oh !  no,  indeed,  I  have  not." 

"  We've  heerd  ye  speak  at  Music  Hall,  and  we're 
a'  teetotalers." 

We  chatted  together,  crossing  the  North  Bridge, 
over  into  Princes  Street,  when  I  stopped  at  the  en- 
trance to  the  Waverly  Hotel, — where  we  \vere  enter- 
tained by  Robert  Cranston,  the  worthy  proprietor, — 
and  one  of  the  "lassies"  said,  "Ye'll  be  stopping  at 
the  Waverly?" 

"Yes,"  I  replied. 

"  Will  ye  hae  ony  objections  to  shaking  hands  wi' 
us  lassies?" 

As  I  shook  hands  writh  them,  I  heard  in  that  sweet, 
low,  Scotch  tone:  "Ye'll  be  soon  ganging  awa  frae 
Edinburgh,  and  we'll  weary  for  ye  to  come  back 
again.  Gude-bye  to  ye ! " 

I  met  with  very  generous  expressions  of  interest  in 
me  and  my  work,  and  I  have  very  precious  remem- 
brances from  many  warm  friends.  A  poor  woman 
called  at  our  lodgings,  while  I  was  out,  and  after 
waiting  nearly  an  hour  to  see  me,  said  to  my  wife,— 
"I'm  poor, — I  would  give  him  a  thousand  pounds  if 
I  had  it ;  but  will  you  give  this  handkerchief  to  him 
from  me,  and  tell  him  to  use  it  if  he  will,  and  when 
he  wipes  the  sweat  from  his  face  while  speaking,  tell 
him  to  remember  he  has  wiped  away  a  great  many 
tears  while  he  has  been  in  Edinburgh." 

I  have  that  handkerchief  to-day,  kept  as  one  of  my 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     337 

treasures,  worth  more  than  silver  and  gold.  The 
cases  of  reform,  and  the  gratitude  of  wives,  children, 
and  relatives  are  very  precious ;  and  the  searching 
for  materials  for  this  book  brings  them  vividly  before 
me. 

I  was  appointed  to  lecture  in  a  town  six  miles  from 
the  railway  by  which  I  came  from  my  last  engage- 
ment, and  a  man  drove  me  in  a  fly — a  one-horse  hack 
— from  the  station  to  the  town.  I  noticed  that  he 
sat  leaning  forward  in  an  awkward  manner,  with  his 
face  close  to  the  glass  of  the  window.  Soon  he  folded 
a  handkerchief,  and  tied  it  round  his  neck.  I  asked 
him  if  he  was  cold. 

"No,  sir." 

Then  he  placed  the  handkerchief  round  his  face.  I 
asked  him  if  he  had  the  toothache. 

"  No,  sir,"  was  the  reply. 

Still  he  sat  leaning  forward.  At  last  I  said  :  "  Will 
you  please  tell  me  why  you  sit  leaning  forward  that 
way,  with  a  handkerchief  round  your  neck,  if  you  are 
not  cold,  and  have  no  toothache  ?" 

He  said  very  quietly,  "  The  window  of  the  carriage 
is  broke,  and  the  wind  is  cold,  and  I  am  trying  to 
keep  it  from  you." 

I  said,  in  surprise,  "You  are  not  putting  your  face 
to  that  broken  pane  to  keep  the  wind  from  me,  are 
you?" 

"Yes,  sir,  I  am." 

"Why  do  you  do  that?" 

"  God  bless  you,  sir,  I  owe  everything  I  have  in  the 
world  to  you." 

"But  I  never  saw  you  before." 

"No,  sir;  but  I  have  seen  you.     I  was  a  ballad- 


338     AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

singer  once.  I  used  to  go  round  with  a  half-starved 
baby  in  ray  arms  for  charity,  and  a  draggled  wife  at 
my  heels,  half  the  time  with  her  eyes  blackened ;  and 
I  went  to  hear  you  in  Edinburgh,  and  you  told  me  I 
was  a  man;  and  when  I  went  out  of  that  house,  I 
said,  'By  the  help  of  God  I'll  be  a  man!'  and  now 
I've  a  happy  wife,  and  a  comfortable  home — God  bless 
you,  sir !  I  would  stick  my  head  in  any  hole  under 
the  heavens,  if  it  would  do  you  any  good." 

After  the  lecture,  this  man  asked  me  if  I  would 
take  breakfast  with  him  the  next  morning.  As  I  was 
compelled  to  leave  at  seven,  I  agreed  to  be  there  at 
six.  I  went — and  such  a  breakfast !  It  appeared  to 
me  as  though  the  "  gude  wife  "  must  have  been  up  all 
night,  to  provide  it ; — potatoes,  in  abundance  ;  fresh 
scones,  or  Scotch  cakes,  broiled  fish,  bacon,  eggs, 
bread,  butter,  jam,  coffee,  milk  in  bowls,  buttermilk, 
cheese,  oatmeal  porridge, — all  spread  on  a  snow-white 
table.  The  "  gude  man  "  just  sitting  on  the  edge  of 
his  chair,  while  the  "  gude  wife  "  quietly  pressed  their 
profuse  hospitality  on  me ;  and  four  "  wee  things " 
stood  about  the  room,  their  round  eyes  fastened  on 
me,  till  the  mother  would  say,  "  Dinna  ye  speer  at  the 
jontleman." 

"  Aye,"  said  the  man,  "  let  the  bairns  look,  an'  they 
wull." 

I  made  a  hearty  meal,  and  we  heard  the  whistle. 
I  was  to  go  by  a  train  on  a  road  that  came  near  the 
village,  in  an  opposite  direction  from  that  by  which  I 
had  arrived.  The  man  sprung  up  and  said :  "  Hey 
mon !  ye'll  miss  the  train.  Here,  Sandy,  Sandy — " 
and  in  came  a  young  man  who  had  been  waiting  out- 
side the  room.  So  Sandy  shouldered  my  valise,  and 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     339 

we  ran,  he  and  I  together,  poor  Sandy  puffing  behind 
us,  with  sundry  "  Ohs !  "  and  "  Keys ! "  and  "  It's  no 
vera  licht,  the  valise !  "  till  we  reached  the  station 
just  in  time;  and  I  left  them  with  hearty  "good 
bye's"  and  "God  bless  you's." 

I  enjoyed  an  excellent  opportunity  of  seeing  the 
people  in  their  homes,  as  well  as  in  the  public  assem- 
blies, as  we  were  generally  entertained  by  friends.  I 
can  never  forget  the  cordial  hospitalities  we  received. 
At  Gloucester,  we  were  the  guests  of  dear  Samuel 
Bowley,  our  true  friend,  and  his  wife — who  has  since 
gone  home.  I  always  thought  her,  with  her  gray 
hair,  and  sweet  face,  one  of  the  most  lovely  women  I 
ever  met.  Their  portraits  hang  before  me  now.  Rev. 
John  Angell  James ;  the  Sturges' ;  Robert  Charlton  ; 
our  dear  friends  George  and  Bateman  Brown,  with 
their  wives ;  Potto  Brown,  the  father,  in  whose  house 
we  found  the  perfection  of  genuine  English  hospital- 
ity; Joseph  Tucker  of  Pavenham  Bury,  the  English 
magistrate,  and  gentleman ;  our  dear  friends  in  Lei- 
cester, Edward  Ellis  and  his  wife ;  William  Wilson 
and  his  family,  at  Sherwood  Hall ;  but  I  must  not 
particularize,  when  they  are  so  numerous.  None  are 
forgotten.  An  English  home  is  the  synonym  for  com- 
fort. They  thoroughly  understand  the  meaning  of 
that  word,  Comfort. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Lecture  Before  The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association — Comments 
of  the  Press — Address  to  the  Edinburgh  Students — Soiree  in  Tan- 
field  Hall — Address  to  Ladies — Public  Dinner  and  Banquet — The 
Lever  Clock — Silver  Pitcher — Rice  Pudding. 

THE  personal  experiences  in  my  work, — interviews 
with  the  intemperate  or  their  friends — cases  of  reform 
brought  directly  under  my  notice,— were  numerous. 
Some  fine  demonstrations  of  interest  in  the  cause  I 
advocated,  were  very  gratifying.  To  record  these, 
when  involving  so  much  of  personal  approbation, 
might  seem  impertinent  and  conceited,  were  it  not 
that  all  these  manifestations  of  interest  were  not  for 
a  man,  but  for  a  cause,  and  any  public  attention  I  re- 
ceived, was  attributable  to  the  great  reform  with 
which  it  was  my  honor  to  be  identified ;  and  for  all 
the  favor  with  which  I,  as  its  advocate,  was  received, 
I  feel  deeply  grateful, — and  in  all  humility,  shall 
make  more  permanent,  in  these  recollections,  demon- 
strations that  seemed  worthy  of  notice,  by  some  of 
the  best  and  most  reliable  journals  in  the  country. 
The  "  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  "  of  London, 
(one  of  the  most  important  in  the  world,)  had  for 
years  sustained  a  course  of  lectures,  in  Exeter  Hall, 
during  the  winter  months.  Men  of  the  first  intellect 
in  the  kingdom,  were  ranked  among  their  speakers, 
and  to  my  surprise,  and  the  great  gratification  of  the 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     341 

temperance  friends,  I  was  invited  to  deliver  one  of 
their  course  in  1853-4.  As  these  lectures  were  to  be 
published,  and  such  men  as  Hugh  Miller,  Rev.  Dr. 
Hugh  McNeil,  Rev.  A.  P.  Stanley,  Dr.  R.  S.  Candlish, 
and  other  men  of  power  and  position,  were  in  the 
course,  I  hesitated  to  accept  the  invitation.  The 
committee  were  desirous  that  I  should  occupy  the 
evening  of  Tuesday,  Novembe**  22d.  Right  Hon.  Sir 
James  Stephen,  K.  C.  B.,  being  the  lecturer  for  No- 
vember 15th,  and  the  Rev.  Robert  Bickersteth  to  fol- 
low on  November  29th.  To  be  sandwiched  between 
two  such  men,  startled  me  into  a  determination  to 
decline  the  great  honor;  but  the  friends  of  temper- 
ance, anxious  that  such  an  opportunity  to  speak  on 
the  subject  should  not  be  lost,  very  strenuously  urged 
me  to  accept  the  invitation — which  I  did.  Then  the 
theme  was  proposed  to  the  committee,  and  there  were 
strong  objections  to  the  term  "temperance."  They 
wished  me  to  speak  to  the  young  men,  and  I  could 
not  agree  to  do  so  on  any  other  subject ;  so  the  com- 
promise was  made,  that  under  the  title  "  habit,"  I 
should  say  all  I  wished  on  "  temperance."  So  on  the 
22d  of  November  I  delivered  one  of  the  course  of 
lectures  before  that  association.  "The  British  Ban- 
ner" contained  an  article  filling  seven  columns  of  that 
large  paper,  critical  and  descriptive,  and  about  as 
many  containing  a  report  of  the  lecture.  I  give  a 
short  extract: —  , 

Last  evening  Exeter  Hall  presented  a  deeply  interesting  spectacle. 
It  was  greatly  crowded  with  an  audience  such  as  London  alone,  of  all  the 
capitals  of  Europe,  could  supply.  Never  before — we  may  safely  affirm — 
did  Mr.  Gough  address  an  audience  that  might,  in  all  points,  be  compared 
with  it.  Never  did  he  make  his  appeal  to  such  a  mass  of  cultivated  and 
Christian  minds — minds  thoroughly  competent  to  deal  with  the  subject, 


342     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

and  to  form  a  proper  estimate  of  the  speaker.  From  what  he  said  at 
the  outset,  and  still  more  at  the  close,  he  seemed  to  form  a  just  estimate 
of  his  position.  The  conjunction  of  such  a  man  with  such  an  assem- 
bly, was  an  object  of  unusual  interest  to  the  moral  philosopher.  To 
say  it  was  beautiful  in  a  very  high  degree,  is  saying  little ; — it  was 
transcendently  grand.  To  witness  the  effect  of  one  spirit  operating 
through  such  a  lengthened  period,  upon  the  aggregate  mass  of  spirits, 
was  a  felicity  which  belongs  to  "  the  feast  of  reason  and  the  flow  of 
soul."  The  effect  of  genuine  talent,  naturally  and  vigorously  exer- 
cised, and  under  the  influence  of  Christian  principles,  was  never  more 
remarkably  exemplified.  Asking  nothing  he  obtained  everything. 
Making  no  invasion,  but  coming  simply  as  a  friend,  he  was  suffered  by 
common  consent  to  make  a  complete  conquest  of  the  united  heart  of 
the  mighty  throng.  The  assembly  had  neither  the  time  nor  the  dispo- 
sition to  discharge  the  functions  of  criticism.  They  had  before  them  a 
man  rich  in  the  gifts  of  nature,  who  commenced  his  operations  by  di- 
vesting himself  of  all  pretensions  to  praise,  or  consideration  on  the  score 
of  scholastic  culture,  or  literary  acquirement.  They  heard  the  dis- 
claimer, but  thought  no  more  about  it;  and  at  once  laying  their  hearts 
open  to  the  full  power  of  the  subduing  influence  that  resides  within 
him,  they  fell  under  the  charms  of  his  inspiration.  Logic  and  criticism 
were  both  sent  a-packing;  they  were  deemed  an  impertinence  on  such  an 
occasion.  The  speaker  presented  to  the  assembly  a  heart;  and  in  re- 
turn nothing  but  hearts  were  presented  to  the  speaker.  The  success 
was  complete ;  the  triumph  was  perfect.  In  thus  speaking,  however, 
we  must  not  be  misunderstood;  we  do  not  receive  Mr.  Gough  on  one 
ground,  and  try  him  upon  another.  Nothing  were  easier  than  to  find 
fault — to  take  exception — to  carp — and  to  censure  ;  and  nothing  more 
preposterous  and  reprehensible.  He  who  can  stop  to  criticise  such  a 
man,  has  but  small  claims  to  either  judgment  or  charity. 

In  Edinburgh,  in  compliance  with  a  requisition 
signed  by  more  than  three  hundred  students  of  the 
University,  I  delivered  an  address  to  them  in  Brighton 
Street  Church,  January  20th, — of  which  the  "Scottish 
Press,"  January  24,  contained  the  following  notice  : — 

MR.  GOUGH  AND  THE  EDINBURGH   STUDENTS. 
Last  Friday  evening,  in  compliance  with  a  requisition  signed  by  up- 
wards of  three  hundred  students  attending  the  University  of  Edinburgh, 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.    GOUGH.  343 

this  renowned  advocate  of  the  temperance  cause  addressed  a  crowded 
audience  in  Brighton  Street  Church.  There  were  upwards  of  two 
thousand  present,  most  of  them  young  men,  and  fully  half,  students 
of  the  University  and  New  College,  for  whose  accommodation  special 
arrangements  had  been  made  with  the  "  Edinburgh  Total  Abstinence 
Society,"  under  whose  auspices  Mr.  Gough  is  at  present  lecturing. 
The  Rev.  Dr.  Guthrie  presided  on  the  occasion.  The  meeting  having 
been  opened  with  prayer  by  Principal  Cunningham,  the  chairman,  in 
a  few  felicitous  remarks  introduced  the  lecturer,  commending  him  and 
the  cause  which  he  so  powerfully  advocates,  to  the  earnest  attention  of 
the  audience.  The  address  which  followed  was  well  fitted  to  make  a 
deep  and  permanent  impression  on  the  minds  of  all  who  heard  it.  It 
was  characterized  by  all  that  fervid  eloquence,  and  marvelous  power 
of  illustration;  that  enlarged  human  sympathy  and  deep-toned  piety, 
which  have  gained  for  Mr.  Gough  such  a  wide-spread  and  honorable 
reputation.  The  arguments  and  illustrations  which  he  employed  were 
specially  directed  to  the  circumstances  of  those  who  formed  the  greater 
part  of  the  audience.  That  they  carried  conviction  to  the  minds  of  many, 
was  proved,  not  only  by  the  enthusiastic  applause  with  which  they 
were  received,  but  by  the  numbers  who  pressed  forward  at  the  close,  to 
enroll  their  names  on  the  side  of  total  abstinence  from  all  intoxicating 
liquors. 

On  the  motion  of  Mr.  Wormald,  President  of  the  "University 
Abstainer's  Society,"  the  thanks  of  the  meeting  were  voted  by  ac- 
clamation to  Mr.  Gough,  for  the  ready  response  he  had  given  to  the 
invitation  addressed  to  him;  and  to  the  "Edinburgh  Total  Abstinence 
Society,"  for  their  arrangements  for  the  students;  and  on  the  motion 
of  Mr.  C.  Douglas,  Secretary  of  the  "New  College  Society,"  a 
similar  vote  of  thanks  was  given  to  Dr.  Guthrie,  for  his  kindness  in 
presiding  as  chairman.  This  meeting,  embracing  probably  the  largest 
assemblage  of  students  ever  held  in  Scotland,  and  countenanced  by  the 
presence  of  several  of  our  most  influential  clergymen  and  laymen — is 
one  among  many  indications  of  the  change  of  public  sentiment  that  is 
taking  place  in  reference  to  the  whole  question  of  total  abstinence.  We 
are  happy  to  be  able  to  add,  that  since  the  meeting,  numerous  accessions 
have  been  made  to  the  abstainers'  societies,  both  at  the  University  and 
New  College. 

On  Tuesday,  January  31§t,  a  soiree  was  given  in 
Tanfield  Hall,  which  was  fully  and  favorably  noticed 
22 


344     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

by  nearly  every  paper  in  the  city.     I  append  a  short 
extract  from  the  "Edinburgh  News." 

SOIREE  IN   HONOR   OF  MR.  GOUGH. 

This  magnificent  spectacle  was  one  as  striking  in  appearance,  and 
more  suggestive  in  its  results,  than  any  which  the  Hall  of  Tanfield  has 
contained  since  the  memorable  day  of  the  Disruption.  We  saw  them 
both ;  and  while  it  would  be  presumptuous  folly  to  deny  the  influence 
of  the  latter  on  the  destinies  of  our  country  and  the  world,  it  is  folly 
no  less  presumptuous,  to  neglect  or  underrate  either  the  cause  or  the 
multitude  who  crowded  to  inconvenience  the  largest  building  Edinburgh 
or  its  vicinity  can  muster,  on  the  most  drenching  night  of  this  drenching 
and  tempestuous  season.  To  describe  the  scene — gay,  brilliant,  and 
earnest  as  it  was — is  simply  impossible.  We  might  depict  the  appear- 
ance of  the  platform,  and  picture  the  musicians  on  the  one  side,  dis- 
coursing sweet  music,  surrounded  by  a  forest  of  happy,  hearty  spirits  ; 
or  we  might  describe  the  two  striking  characteristics  of  the  vast  gather- 
ing, the  amount  of  beauty  bursting  into  womanhood,  and  of  young  en- 
ergy which  told  of  entering  on,  or  embarking  in  life's  earnest  business, 
which  crowded  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  spacious  building  ;  or  we 
might  describe  the  various  speakers  and  their  speeches; — but  all  this 
would  convey  no  idea  of  a  meeting  which,  for  earnest  enthusiasm  and 
moral  power  upon  the  minds  of  mere  spectators,  has  seldom  indeed 
been  equalled,  and  never  surpassed,  for  the  last  twenty  years  in  Edin- 
burgh. Aristocrats  and  artizans,  millionaires  and  mechanics,  had 
mingled  their  plaudits  in  testimony  of  Mr.  Gough's  extraordinary 
power ;  and  when  on  Tuesday  evening  the  swell  of  their  united  admi- 
ration rose  to  flood  tide,  the  ovation  seemed  overpowering,  if  not 
dangerous  to  human  strength  and  wisdom.  But  the  secret  of  Mr. 
Gough's  strength  lies  in  his  deep  religious  earnestness — a  power  which 
proves  the  surest  helm  in  prosperity's  most  dangerous  sea;  and  of  the 
value  of  "faith's  guiding  star,"  few  men  seem  more  conscious  than  he, 
whom  those  thousands  of  our  citizens  had  met  to  honor.  Considering 
the  vast  multitude  present,  the  arrangements  were  highly  creditable ; 
but  whatever  these  might  have  been,  the  audience  came  evidently  de- 
termined to  be  pleased — a  feeling  which,  of  itself,  helped  in  no  small 
measure  to  the  comfortable  working  out  of  those  arrangements  which 
appeared  to  have  been  made  with  great  judgment,  as  well  as  with 
laborious  care.  After  the  hall  Vas  filled,  and  before  the  chair  was 
taken,  the  Castle  Band  played  several  of  the  most  esteemed  selections 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     345 

from  modern  operas,  and  gave  the  audience  a  specimen  of  vocalization, 
in  the  singing  of  "Hail,  Smiling  Morn,"  with  instrumental  accompani- 
ments— which  highly  gratified  the  audience.  Before  tea,  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Henry  Grey  "asked  a  blessing,"  and,  consumption  duly  ended,  the 
multitude  rose  to  return  thanks  in  an  appropriate  hymn  of  praise.  The 
President  of  the  Society,  Mr.  Marr,  shortly  and  neatly  opened  the  speak- 
ing business  of  the  evening,  and,  as  the  audience  indicated,  it  would 
have  been  well,  had  the  other  speakers  followed  his  judicious  example. 
Lord  Panmure  said  the  other  day,  that  nothing  proved  so  hurtful  to 
men's  constitutions  as  undelivered  speeches — and  these  may  be  very 
hard  of  digestion ;  but  whether  the  delivery  of  an  oration,  after  an  au- 
dience has  once,  twice,  or  thrice  given  symptoms  of  their  being  surfeited, 
be  not  more  permanently  damaging,  is  a  problem  at  least  equally  hard 
to  solve.  The  speech  of  Mr.  Eeid  was  vigorous  and  pointed,  and,  be- 
ing the  first,  was  heard  with  willingness,  and  received  with  approbation ; 
but  the  other  speakers  were  not  equal  to  themselves,  and  the  audience 
felt  as  if  these  gentlemen  wanted  to  make  up  in  length  what  they  lacked 
in  point  and  power.  But  the  patience  of  the  people  would  have  been 
exhausted,  whatever  the  quality  of  the  previous  speeches.  They  wanted 
Mr.  Gough ;  and  after  the  last  sweetly  sung  song  had  ended,  the  moral 
hero  rose,  and  the  heaving  surge  of  humanity  which  rose,  en  masse,  to  wel- 
come him,  seemed  as  if  lashed  into  a  very  tempest  of  enthusiasm.  The 
scene  was  wonderful,  and  its  effects  electric — compelling  even  those  who 
had  never  heard  his  voice,  to  cheer  from  sympathetic  admiration.  The 
speech  which  he  delivered,  magnificent  as  it  was  in  many  of  its  points, 
was  nothing  more  than  a  fair  specimen  of  his  usual  style ;  and,  instead  of 
dwelling  on  what  is  reported  at  length  elsewhere,  we  will  rather  venture 
on  an  estimate  of  Mr.  Gough's  general  or  peculiar  powers. 

On  the  afternoon  of  Saturday,  February  11, 1  ad- 
dressed, by  invitation,  an  audience  of  ladies  at  the  city 
hall,  Glasgow,  of  which  the  "  Christian  News"  said  : — 

We  did  not  know  that  any  sons  of  Adam  were  to  be  admitted  on 
Saturday  last  to  hear  Mr.  Gough's  address  to  the  daughters  of  Eve; 
so  we  were  sitting  at  five  minutes  to  twelve  at  our  quiet  fireside,  when 
a  breathless  messenger  arrived,  to  say  that  we  had  been  omitted  in  the 
platform  invitations,  and  that  our  presence  was  urgently  desired.  So, 
leaving  books,  and  papers,  and  Sabbath  preparations  to  shift  for  them- 
selves, as  they  best  might,  we  scrambled  in  a  great  hurry  for  our  hat 


346     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

and  boots,  and  hiding  our  faded  frontispiece  beneath  the  folds  of  an 
enwrapping  top  coat,  and  mounting  a  white  cravat,  we  literally  ran  to 
the  scene.  The  effect  of  that  meeting,— who  can  tell?  We  have  been 
impressed  with  this  fact  in  Mr.  Gough's  case,  that  his  desire  to  do  good 
is  uppermost,  and  his  regard  for  his  own  fame  altogether  secondary  and 
subordinate.  With  many  of  our  orators  and  public  men,  self  is  fore- 
most. Not  so  with.  Mr.  Gough.  His  great  aim  is  the  good  of  man 
and  the  glory  of  God;  and  herein  lies  his  great  power.  He  would  not 
work  so  hard,  even  to  sheer  exhaustion, — he  would  not  so  risk  his  repu- 
tation as  an  orator,  when  his  bodily  strength  is  so  inadequate  to  the 
highest  efforts, — if  this  were  not  the  case. 

We  have  been  glad  to  hear,  that  wherever  Mr.  Gough  has  lectured, 
great  numbers  have  enlisted  in  the  temperance  army ;  and  of  these, 
many  who  were  opposed  to  our  cause  before.  Besides,  many  of  his 
converts  are  very  influential.  He  can  say,  with  the  early  preachers  of 
the  gospel, — "Of  honorable  men  and  of  honorable  women  not  a  few." 
When  lately  in  the  North,  we  met  a  minister  of  the  United  Presby- 
terian Church,  who  had  been  a  fellow-student  with  us  at  the  University. 
Observing  that  he  spoke  favorably  of  the  temperance  cause,  we  asked 
him  if  he  had  taken  the  pledge.  He  said  he  had  done  so  after  hearing 

Gough's  first  lecture  in  Edinburgh,  and  so  did  Mr. ,  and  Mr. , 

naming  two  other  ministers  whom  we  knew.  We  adduce  this  evidence, 
which  unexpectedly  came  before  us,  in  proof  of  the  assertion  that  he  is 
moving  this  country.  We  had  never  seen  such  a  meeting ;  and  what 
impressed  us  much  was  this,  that  Mr.  Gough  said,  before  closing,  that 
he  never  had  seen  such  a  meeting.  This  was  the  second  compliment 
Mr.  Gough  paid  the  city  of  Glasgow,  viewed  as  a  field  of  temper- 
ance effort.  Here  first  in  Britain  had  he  heard  prayer  offered  before 
his  lecture,  and  here  was  gathered  the  largest  assembly  of  ladies  he  had 
ever  witnessed,  and  had  ever  addressed.  Surely,  Glasgow  will  occupy 
a  most  prominent  place  in  his  remembrance  and  his  records.  With 
manifest  emotion  he  told  us  that  in  addressing  such  an  assembly,  his 
career  had  reached  its  culminating  point, — he  had  gained  the  acme  of 
his  ambition.  We  are  sorry  that,  not  being  able  to  make  our  way  to 
the  platform,  we  ,  cannot  describe  the  scene  presented,  as  a  whole ; 
but  certainly,  as  far  as  our  eye  could  reach,  the  sight  was  most  impos- 
ing, and  the  effect  produced  very  grand.  The  audience  consisted  of  all 
classes,  from  the  wife  of  the  hard-toiled  operative,  to  the  jewelled  lady 
of  the  merchant  prince.  Mr.  Gough  has  succeeded  in  bringing  out  to 
temperance  meetings,  ministers  who  never  appeared  before,  and  repre- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH.  347 

sentatives  of  our  city  aristocracy,  who  would  have  thought  it  quite  be- 
neath them  to  attend  such  a  gathering.  He  has  made  the  cause  some- 
what fashionable,  and  this  is  a  great  matter. 

Mr.  Arnot  seemed  at  a  loss  to  know  how  the  ladies  would  return 
thanks  to  the  hero  of  the  day.  They  improvised  it  well.  A  snow- 
storm began;  noiselessly  the  flakes  fell.  Puffing  would  have  been 
vulgar.  They  waved  their  white  handkerchiefs.  It  was  very  thrilling. 
Those  tear-stained  handkerchiefs  seemed  the  signals  of  temperance 
victory, — the  pure  banners  of  the  triumphant  temperance  army,  des- 
tined to  wipe  away  many  a  tear  from  weeping  eyes.  Let  Mr.  Gough 
often  recall  the  thrill  produced  by  that  silent  acclamation,  and  feel  as 
if  these  trophies  were  still  waving  round  his  head,  whether  on  Albion's 
or  Columbia's  shores.  [Another  writer  said  in  the  daily  paper,  that 
the  waving  of  handkerchiefs  reminded  him  of  the  rising  of  the  gulls 
from  Ailsa  Crag  at  the  firing  of  a  gun.] 

On  Tuesday,  February  14th,  I  was  entertained  at  a 
public  dinner,  at  the  "Abercorn  Assembly  Rooms," 
Paisley,  where  nearly  one  hundred  gentlemen  sat 
down,  among  whom  were  the  Magistrates  and  Town 
Council.  James  Winning  occupied  the  chair,  and 
Baillie  Brown  and  Councillor  McKean  discharged  the 
duties  of  croupiers.  Speeches  were  made,  and  re- 
ported in  the  Paisley  and  Glasgow  press.  As  I  was 
about  to  leave  Scotland  for  a  time,  the  ladies  of  the 
"Glasgow  Temperance  Visiting  Association"  gave  what 
the  "North  British  Daily  Mail"  termed  "a  splendid 
banquet  in  honor  of  John  B.  Gough."  Archibald  Liv- 
ingston, Esq.,  presided,  and  speeches  were  made  by 
Rev.  Alexander  Wallace,  Rev.  William  Reid,  and  others. 

At  the  conclusion  of  Mr.  Reid's  address,  [I  quote  from  the  "  Mail,"] 
after  a  grand  symphony  on  the  organ,  Mr.  Mitchell,  with  a  slight  and 
touching  preface,  in  the  name  of  the  committee  of  the  "  Ladies  Tem- 
perance Visiting  Association,"  presented  Mr.  Gough  with  a  beautiful 
silver  tea-set,  elegantly  inlaid  with  gold,  bearing  an  inscription  expres- 
sive of  the  kind  wishes  of  the  association  in  behalf  of  his  lady  and 
himself.  Mr.  Gough  replied,  and  followed  up  by  a  speech  of  nearly 


348    AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

an  hour's  length.  Services  of  fruit  were  plentifully  distributed  through- 
out the  evening,  and  the  proceedings,  which  were  of  the  most  delight- 
ful character,  after  three  cheers  for  the  ladies,  terminated  at  a  quarter 
past  eleven,  when  the  vast  company  separated,  to  the  strains  of  the 
National  Anthems.  The  place  was  densely  crowded  in  every  part,  hun- 
dreds being  unable  to  obtain  tickets  of  admission. 

I  forgot  to  state  that  I  addressed  a  large  audience 
of  children  at  the  City  Hall,  on  Saturday,  the  25th. 
On  March  1st,  I  went  down  to  Greenock,  and  deliv- 
ered a  lecture  in  the  "West  Blackball  Chapel."  On 
entering  the  committee-room,  I  noticed  on  the  table, 
a  very  beautiful  skeleton  lever  clock,  such  as  I  had 
never  seen  before.  Approaching  it,  I  said, "  Oh !  what 
a  beauty."  I  hardly  knew  at  first  what  it  was,  and 
began  to  examine  it.  Some  of  the  gentlemen  looked 
embarrassed,  as  I  made  inquiries,  and  soon  I  detected 
my  name  on  an  engraved  piece  of  silver  hanging  in 
front  of  it;  when  flashed  on  my  mind  the  fact,  that 
it  was  intended  for  me.  I  turned  away  confused,  and 
it  was  immediately  covered  with  a  cloth.  I  heard 
afterward  that  it  was  intended  for  a  surprise,  to  be 
presented  to  me  on  the  platform  after  the  lecture; 
and  they  had  inadvertently  left  it  exposed,  and  I  saw 
it.  I  was  very  sorry,  too,  for  during  my  speech,  the 
thought  of  that  clock,  and  the  coming  presentation, 
which  I  dreaded,  would  force  itself  into  my  mind.  I 
was  bothered,  and,  until  I  had  become  absorbed  in 
my  theme,  embarrassed  by  it ; — but  the  presentation 
came  off; — a  very  beautiful  speech  was  made  by 
George  Turner,  Esq.,  to  which  I  replied  awkwardly, 
and  with  some  blundering;  and  the  beautiful  clock, 
with  its  silver  face,  rosewood  stand,  and  glass  shade, 
was  mine, — and  it  now  adorns  the  mantel  of  my  din- 
ing-room at  Hillside. 


ATJTOBIOGKAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH.  349 

Before  I  left  Edinburgh,  the  committee  of  the  "To- 
tal Abstinence  Society"  presented  me  with  a  superb 
silver  pitcher.  This  was  purchased  of  the  silver- 
smith ;  it  was  originally  intended  for  a  claret  jug, 
with  an  ugly  little  Bacchus  perched  on  the  lid.  But 
a  finely  chased  pine-apple  was  inserted  in  its  place, 
and  the  fat  little  heathen  deity  removed.  That 
pitcher  is  devoted  to  cold  water,  and  no  claret  will 
ever  defile  it  while  it  remains  in  my  possession — 
which  it  will  to  the  day  of  my  death. 

I  spoke  at  Kilmarnock  on  the  next  evening,  and 
left  Scotland  for  some  months.  We  were  entertained 
very  kindly  at  Glasgow,  by  Archibald  Livingston,  on 
several  occasions ;  but  towards  the  close  of  my  labors 
there,  we  took  lodging  at  the  temperance  house  kept 
by  Alexander  Graham,  who  afterwards  became  a  most 
bitter  enemy  of  mine,  for  no  reason  that  I  can  imag- 
ine except  that  I  once  invited  Mr.  Livingston  to  dine 
with  me,  and  when  the  rice  pudding  was  served,  Mr. 
Livingston  found  a  large  cockroach  in  his  portion ;  he 
laid  it  out  on  the  cloth,  and  I  called  the  waiter  and 
asked  him  to  inquire  of  the  proprietor  whether  such 
things  were  served  up  in  rice  puddings  generally  at 
his  hotel;  that's  all  I  can  remember  of  reason  for  his 
bitter  animosity  to  me. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

Speech  at  Leslie — Prof.  Miller — Throat  Remedies — Scene  at  Sadlers 
Wells  Theatre — Address  to  Oxford  Students — Ludicrous  Scene — 
"  Fair  Play  " — Fete  at  Hartwell  House — Fireworks — Influence  of 
Drink — Extracts  from  Letters — Other  Cases — Poor  Ned. 

DUKING  all  this  time,  my  health  was  good,  with  the 
exception  of  continual  colds ;  and  as  a  preventive,  I 
permitted  my  beard  to  grow,  and  the  beard  has  so 
encroached,  and  my  dislike  to  shaving  so  increased, 
that  I  have  not  used  a  razor  on  my  face  for  nearly 
three  years.  It  was  a  work  of  time,  to  come  to  it; 
but  I  shall  probably  continue  as  I  am,  and  discard  the 
shaving  apparatus  entirely. 

In  speaking  at  Leslie,  in  a  large  new  factory  build- 
ing, before  the  machinery  was  brought  in,  I  so  over- 
did, under  the  pressure  of  a  heavy  cold,  that  I  could 
not  speak  loud  the  next  morning,  and  was  com- 
pelled to  postpone  my  engagements,  and  return  to 
Edinburgh,  when  I  sent  for  Prof.  Miller — who  was, 
by  the  way,  my  dear  and  honored  friend.  After  an 
examination,  his  prescription  was,  that  I  should  not 
attempt  to  speak  above  a  low  whisper  till  he  gave  me 
permission.  I  went  whispering  for  five  days.  Every 
morning  he  would  come  in  and  chat  with  me;  and 
many  a  hearty  laugh  I  had  at  his  rich,  genuine  wit 
and  humor;  but  on  the  fifth  morning  he  came  in  and 
said :  "  Now  I  take  off  the  embargo  from  ye ;  speak 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     351 

out,  man ;  what  are  ye  whispering  for  ? "  and  I  found 
my  voice  as  clear  as  a  bell. 

If  I  might  be  permitted  to  offer  advice,  after  twenty- 
six  years'  experience  in  public  speaking,  I  would  say 
to  all  who  are  thus  engaged,  avoid  all  nostrums  for 
the  throat.    They  may  give  temporary  relief  in  certain 
cases,  such  as  hoarseness,  or  stimulating  the  throat  to 
moisture  when  feverish.     I  have  tried  them  occasion- 
ally, and  found  a  momentary  relief;  but  I  sincerely 
believe  they  are  injurious,  when  used  continually.    I 
have  heard  speakers  say  they  are  never  without  some- 
thing of  the  kind ; — the  mischief  lies  just  there, — 
after  using  them  freely  for  a  time,  they  become  a  ne- 
cessity, even  when  they  are  doing  a  permanent  injury. 
If  the  voice  becomes  hoarse,  and  the  throat  dry  and 
husky,  try  cold  .water  gargling ;  or  dash  cold  water 
on  the  throat,  and  back  of  the  ears,  three  or  four  times 
in  the  day,  and  after  speaking ;  and  if  that  does  not  re- 
lieve, do  as  I  did — rest  till  the  voice  recovers  its  tone ; 
and  if  the  throat  is  not  diseased,  the  remedy  will  not 
fail.     I  would  say  that  a  piece  of  pure  liquorice  about 
as  large  as  a  small  pea,  or  even  a  less  quantity,  taken 
into  the  mouth  just  before  speaking,  will  relieve  with- 
out injury.    I  make  this  statement,  as  the  throat  is  the 
organ  most  important  to  a  public  speaker,  and  I  give 
my  experience  for  just  what  it  is  worth.    I  once  recom- 
mended an  advertised  remedy  for  the  throat  as  reliev- 
ing a  tickling  cough,  and  it  did  relieve  for  a  time.     I 
have  received  a  large  number  of  lozenges,  and  other 
preparations  for  the  throat  from  the  proprietors,  re- 
questing recommendation,  and  they  must  not  be  angry 
with  me  because  I  send  them  none,  as  I  do  not  try  these 
things  as  a  permanent  cure  for  hoarseness. 


352     AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

On  the  occasion  of  a  lecture  in  Sadlers  Wells  Thea- 
ter, on  Wednesday,  May  3d,  an  incident  occurred  of 
which  the'"  London  Illustrated  News"  speaks  : — 

At  the  close  occurred  the  incident  which  Mr.  Cruikshank  has  de- 
scribed with  his  graphic  pencil.  It  is  well  known  that  our  artist  is  a 
total  abstainer,  and  naturally  he  was  unwilling  to  lose  so  good  an  op- 
portunity as  then  offered  itself,  for  swelling  the  stream  to  which  he  be- 
longed. Accordingly  he  appealed  to  the  audience  to  come  forward  and 
take  the  pledge.  Nor  was  the  appeal  made  in  vain.  A  rush  from  box, 
and  pit,  and  gallery  was  the  result.  A  plank  bridge  was  laid  across 
from  the  pit  to  the  stage,  along  which  poured  the  living  tide.  A 
young  lady  was  the  first  to  lead  the  way ;  her  devotion  was  rewarded 
with  cheers,  such  as  seldom  resound  in  any  theater.  Upwards  of  three 
hundred  followed  her  example.  The  number  would  have  been  greater 
had  not  the  evening  been  far  advanced,  and  the  weary  scene-shifters 
anxious  to  get  home  to  bed. 

The  Committee  of  the  London  League  were  very 
desirous  that  I  should  speak  at  Oxford.  On  propos- 
ing it  to  the  friends  of  temperance  in  that  city,  they 
stated  that  it  was  doubtful  if  such  a  meeting  could  be 
held.  A  certain  class  of  students  had  been  in  the 
habit  of  disturbing  concerts,  lectures,  and  the  like, 
and  it  was  thought  they  could  not  resist  the  oppor- 
tunity of  some  "fun"  at  a  temperance  lecture, — a 
subject  held  in  contempt  by  a  majority  in  the  class  to 
which  these  Oxford  students  belonged;  and  their 
"fun"  was  occasionally  rather  rough.  They  had 
smoked  out  a  gentleman  who  came  to  lecture  to 
them  on  tobacco.  Some  scores  of  pipes  and  cigars 
were  in  full  blast.  The  Oxford  friends  stated  also, 
that,  though  they  would  do  all  they  could  to  assist  in 
the  arrangements,  and  to  promote  the  success  of  the 
meeting,  no  person  known  in  that  city  would  venture 
to  preside,  and  the  project  had  better  be  abandoned. 
The  London  committee  were  determined  to  make  an 


AUTOBIOGEAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     355 

attempt  to  get  a  hearing  for  me  there ;  and  I  having 
consented,  and  a  gentleman  from  London  having 
agreed  to  preside,  the  evenings  of  Wednesday  and 
Friday,  June  13th  and  15th,  were  appointed.  I  went 
down  to  Oxford  on  the  13th  with  three  or  four  gen- 
tlemen of  the  League.  On  entering  the  hall,  I  found 
quite  a  large  number  of  students,  distinguished  by 
their  flat  caps,  and  gowns.  The  introduction  passed 
off  quietly,  and  I  was  received  with  noisy  demon- 
strations, not  exactly  complimentary.  I  proceeded 
in  my  speech.  The  majority  seemed  to  be  looking  at 
me  curiously,  as  I  suppose  a  pugilist  looks  at  his  an- 
tagonist, watching  the  first  opportunity  to  give  him  a 
"  settler."  At  length  I  said,  "•  What  is  the  cause  of  the- 
intemperance  of  Great  Britain?"  when  a  thin,  squeak- 
ing voice  called  out,  "Tempewanth  thothietieth."  At 
this  there  was  a  universal  laugh ;  but  I  happened  to 
catch  the  exact  tone  of  the  speaker,  and  replied:  "I 
beg  your  pardon,  sir,  but  it  is  not  tempewanth  tho- 
thietieth at  all."  Then  there  was  another  laugh,  and 
the  noise  began, — laughing,  whistling,  crowing,  bray- 
ing, but  no  hissing;  they  were  good-tempered,  and 
simply  wanted  the  "fun," — and  I  sympathized  with 
them  in  that.  A  little  harmless  fun  will  hurt  nobody. 
The  scene  became  so  irresistibly  ludicrous,  and  the 
young  gentlemen  went  into  it  with  such  a  perfect 
abandon,  and  such  evident  enjoyment,  that,  though 
I  felt  compelled  to  maintain  my  dignity,  (such  as 
it  was,)  I  was  thoroughly  amused,  and  internally 
chuckled  while  striving  to  keep  my  face  straight. 
The  volley  of  questions  that  were  hurled  at  me — 
some  of  them  ridiculously  personal,  and  some  border- 
ing on  the  profane — were  incessant  for  some  time. 


356     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

There  was  no  abuse,  but  simply  rollicking  fun.  I 
kept  my  position  on  the  platform,  though  I  could 
not  be  heard.  At  every  little  lull  I  would  say,  "  Gen- 
tlemen,"— and  then  would  come  a  storm  of  cheering. 
Look  which  way  I  would,  I  saw  laughing  faces.  I 
turned  to  the  chairman,  and  was  amused  to  see  him 
with  a  broad  grin,  and  his  mouth  wide  open,  enjoy- 
ing it  hugely, — till  he  saw  me  looking  at  him,  when 
his  mouth  closed  instantly,  and  he  made  futile  efforts 
to  look  grave  and  serious;  but  in  spite  of  his  sober 
face,  his  eyes  were  twinkling  with  merriment.  What 
was  I  to  do?  It  would  never  do  to  give  it  up  so. 
Their  questions  became  after  awhile  more  serious  and 
answerable. 

One  called  out,  "Who  turned  water  into  wine?" 

To  which  I  replied,  so  that  they  could  hear  me, 
"  We  have  no  objection  to  wine  made  of  water." 

Then  came  a  string  of  Bible  questions.  In  one  of 
the  pauses  of  the  din,  I  said  in  a  loud  tone  of  voice, 
"  Gentlemen,  fair  play  is  a  jewel." 

At  this  they  cheered,  and  some  shouted,  "  Fair 
play!" 

I  said,  "That  is  the  Englishman's  motto, — Fair 
play." 

"Yes,  fair  play!" 

"Down  in  front!" 

"Hats  off!" 

"No  hats  off!" 

"Caps  on!" 

"Hurrah!" 

"Fair  play!" 

"  Cock-a-doodle-doo ! " — were  some  of  the  cries 
that  greeted  me. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     357 

Again  I  shouted,  "Fair  play!"  and  then  said: 
"  Gentlemen, — I  have  a  proposition,  that  I  think  will 
please  you,  and  I  like  to  please  my  audience." 

"  Let's  have  it." 

"  Proposition !     Proposition  ! " 

«Hush-sh-sh!" 

I  said :  "  We  all  believe  in  fair  play ;  and  this, 
surely,  is  not  fair  play, — so  many  of  you  attacking 
one,  and  he  a  little  one.  My  proposition  will  give  us 
all  fair  play." 

"  Proposition !     Proposition ! ' ' 

"Stop  that  noise!" 

«Hush-sh-sh!" 

"Down  in  front! " 

"  The  proposition  is — that  you  choose  your  cham- 
pion, and  he  shall  take  the  platform,  and  he  and  I  will 
take  it,  ten  minutes,  turn  about,  and  the  rest  of  the 
audience  shall  judge  who  is  the  victor  in  this  contest 
—he  or  I.  That's  fair." 

"  Yes,  yes,  that's  fair,"  and  there  were  some  comi- 
cal proposals  as  to  champion,  and,  as  I  suppose,  per- 
sonal hits ;  for  there  was  loud  laughing,  where  I  could 
not  see  the  point.  But  after  a  little  confusion,  no 
champion  appearing,  I  was  permitted,  with  very  slight 
interruption,  to  continue 'to  the  end  of  my  speech, 
and  received  hearty  cheers  at  the  conclusion. 

The  next  evening,  my  wife  and  I  attended  by  invi- 
tation, a  rendering  of  CEdipus,  by  Yandenhoff  and  his 
daughter,  the  choruses  being  sung  by  the  choirs  of 
the  cathedral,  assisted  by  amateurs  among  the  stu- 
dents. It  was  very  fine.  I  was  recognized  with  a 
smile,  by  some  who  were  at  the  meeting  the  night 
before. 


358     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  *B.  GOUGH. 

On  Friday,  I  gave  my  second  address,  to  an  audi- 
ence as  generous  and  enthusiastic  as  I  ever  spoke  to. 
Several  shook  hands  with  me,  and  some  told  me  I  had 
spoken  the  truth.  One  of  the  proctors  came  to  the 
platform,  and  shook  my  hand  before  the  audience, 
and  thanked  me  for  the  manner  in  which — as  he  was 
pleased  to  say — I  had  "managed  the  students;"  and 
said  :  "If  you  had  used  hard  language  to  them,  or  be- 
come angry,  they  would  not  have  heard  you." 

Thus  ended  my  first  and  last  visit  to  Oxford. 

I  hold,  and  have  always  held,  the  right  of  any  person 
to  hiss  if  he  is  displeased.  It  may  be  very  annoying; 
but  I  hold  to  the  right  of  doing  it ;  and  I  have  a  per- 
fect right  to  reply  to  a  hiss,  if  any  one  makes  himself 
my  personal  antagonist  by  expressing  his  dissatisfac- 
tion in  that  way.  I  may  reply  to  him,  or  make  com- 
ments ;  but  I  will  not  deny  his  right.  I  know  very 
well  that  if,  during  the  late  war,  I  had  heard  some 
things  said  that  were  said,  I  should  have  hissed  heart- 
ily, and  maintained  my  right.  There  is  a  difference 
between  a  hiss  and  an  offensive  personal  demonstra- 
tion. Once,  I  remember,  a  man  sat  in  front  of  me, 
and  cheered  lustily  at  some  portions  of  my  address, 
till  I  began  to  give  my  views  on  questions  that  dis- 
pleased him,  when  he  rose,  and  cocking  his  hat  defi- 
antly, held  up  his  clenched  fist,  and  looking  very 
fiercely,  stalked  out  of  the  room  with  a  great  noise; 
and  I  think  I  was  not  out  of  order  when  I  said :  "  If 
the  doctrine  of  the  transmigration  of  souls  should  be 
true — that  when  one  man  died,  his  soul  passed  into 
the  body  of  another  man  just  born — my  opinion  would 
be,  that  when  that  man  was  born,  nobody  died." 

On  the  25th  of  July  a  farewell  "fete  "  was  given  at 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     359 

Hartwell  House,  the  seat  of  John  Lee,  Esq.,  LL.D. 
Hon.  Horace  Greeley  was  present  as  an  invited  guest. 
The  Friday  before,  I  had  attended  a  concert  at  Surrey 
Gardens,  concluding  with  a  display  of  fire-works.  After 
the  concert  I  was  accosted,  to  iny  surprise,  with — 
"  Gough,  are  you  going  up  there  to  see  the  fizz-bangs?" 
I  turned,  and  saw  Mr.  Greeley.  He  called  on  us,  and 
was  invited  by  the  "  League  "  Committee  to  attend 
the  fete. 

"  Hartwell  House  "  has  its  historical  associations. 
It  was  erected  by  Sir  Thomas  Lee  in  1570,  and  was 
one  of  the  old  baronial  mansions  celebrated  for  hospi- 
tality and  good  fare.  It  is  a  fine  specimen  of  an  En- 
glish mansion  of  the  olden  time.  Paintings  by  the 
best  masters,  statuary  by  the  first  artists,  cabinets  of 
minerals  of  almost  priceless  value,  Egyptian  antiqui^ 
ties,  an  immense  library,  with  the  most  rare  and  costly 
curiosities, — are  full  of  interest  to  the  visitor.  The 
family  chapel  contains,  over  the  communion  table,  the 
Lee  bearings  and  crest,  with  the  shields  of  Lee,  Hamp- 
den  (the  great  John),  and  Harcourt.  It  was  at  Hart- 
well  House  that  Louis  XVIII.  of  France,  with  two 
hundred  followers,  lived  when  an  exile,  allowed  by 
the  British  Government  £20,000  per  year.  The  then 
owner,  Sir  George  Lee,  being  a  bachelor,  and  not  car- 
ing to  live  there,  rented  it  to  the  ex-king  and  his  court 
for  £500  per  year.  Here  he  was  visited  by  princes 
and  French  emigrant  nobles,  and  here  his  queen  died 
in  1310,  and  the  bereaved  king  wrote  to  a  friend: 
"Fear  nothing  for  me ;  I  have  not  suffered  in  health. 
I  am  already  at  the  point  where  I  fear  I  shall  remain, 
— no  more  tears,  no  more  pangs  of  sorrow ;  but  a  sin- 
cere regret — a  void  in  my  life  which  I  feel  a  hundred 


360     AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OP  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

times  a  day."  Here  the  French  ladies,  being  very  fond 
of  flowers,  formed  gardens  in  every  imaginable  nook. 
We  were  shown,  on  the  immense  roof  of  the  house, 
where  these  gardens  once  flourished.  It  was  from 
"Hartwell  House"  that  the  deposed  king  issued  those 
celebrated  manifestoes  that  were  so  futile  in  restoring 
him.  Some  of  these  were  presented  to  us  by  Mr.  Lee  as 
curiosities.  It  was  at  the  doors  of  "Hartwell  House" 
that  the  carriages  drove  up,  and  the  king  was  informed 
that  Napoleon  was  deposed ;  and  from  these  doors  he 
departed,  embarking  at  Dover  and  returning  to  France. 
The  bedrooms  are  named  after  those  who  formerly 
occupied  them, — "the  King's  room,"  "the  Queen's 
room,"  "  Charles  the  Tenth's  room,"  "  Cardinal 
Rheim's  room,"  and  so  on.  We  were  appointed  to 
Charles  the  Tenth's  room.  We  were  much  interested 
in  the  place,  and  the  generous  hospitality  of  Mr.  Lee. 
Meetings  were  held  for  two  days  in  a  large  "Marquee," 
— speeches  were  made ;  my  farewell  address  was  given ; 
there  were  quoits  and  cricket,  and  about  five  thou- 
sand persons  enjoyed  the  day  on  the  grounds.  In 
the  evening  fire-works  were  given.  One  piece  pre- 
sented the  sentence,  in  colored  fire,  "Farewell  to 
John  B.  Gough."  As  we  grouped  together  in  the 
large  bay  window,  some  dozen  of  us,  I  hardly  ever 
remember  to  have  felt  more  sad  at  a  festive  occasion, 
as  letter  after  letter  of  the  sentence  that  just  before 
was  blazing  with  light,  went  out  in  darkness.  A 
fear  crept  over  me  that  so,  perhaps,  I  might  go  out; 
and  as  the  sadness  came  on  me,  I  could  not  control 
myself,  and  though,  "unused  to  tears,"  they  rolled 
down  my  face  as  I  sat  there,  watching  the  gradual 
dying  out  of  the  blazing  letters  of  "farewell." 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH.  363 

Genial  George  Cruikshank  was  there,  the  life  of 
the  party.  Tweedie,  Campbell,,  White,  (who  wrote 
an  excellent  description  of  the  scene,  and  from  whose 
little  book  I  have  obtained  information  respecting  the 
house,  and  its  associations,)  Hewlett,  and  so  many 
friends  of  the  past  two  years,  and  many  of  them  for 
evermore,  were  there. 

In  the  morning  at  breakfast,  the  steward  came  in 
to  report  that,  on  a  careful  examination  of  the  grounds, 
they  found  not  a  flower  plucked,  not  a  border  tram- 
pled on;  not  a  particle  of  damage  could  be  discov- 
ered in  the  garden  or  ground,  though  five  thousand 
persons  had  roamed  where  they  would,  without  let  or 
hindrance. 

Mr.  Lee  said  :  "Gentlemen,  that  speaks  well  for  the 
good  behavior  of  teetotalers;"  and  he  added:  "I  re- 
quested the  steward  to  make  his  report  before  you, 
thinking  it  might  gratify  you  to  know  it." 

About  sixty  persons  were  entertained  by  Mr.  Lee 
during  the  two  days  of  the  fete.  The  London  Tem- 
perance League  presented  to  me  a  very  fine  dinner 
service  for  eighteen,  of  pure  silver,  beautifully  ar- 
ranged in  a  solid  oak  plate  chest,  with  trays,  and  re- 
ceptacles for  spoons  and  forks, — a  costly  gift,  but  more 
valuable  to  me  than  gold  or  silver,  was  the  kindness, 
sympathy,  and  friendship,  that  prompted  to  the  gen- 
erous donation. 

Often,  during  the  two  years'  work  in  the  country,  I 
had  witnessed  the  distress  and  misery  brought  upon 
tKe  innocent,  by  the  intemperance  of  those  near  to 
them.  An  awful  peculiarity  of  this  vice  is,  that  it 
not  only  blasts  the  victim,  but  scorches  all  connected 
with  him;  it  ruins  the  man,  and  brings  misery  on 
23 


364     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

wives,  children,  parents,  brothers  and  sisters.  The 
tender-hearted  are  made  cruel,  the  generous  made 
selfish,  the  noble  made  mean,  the  high-spirited  be- 
come debased,  the  ambitious  become  hopeless,  the 
proud  become  groveling,  and  degraded;  beauty  is 
blighted,  purity  defiled;  all  that  is  noble,  glorious, 
and  God-like  in  a  man,  is  blasted  and  mildewed  by 
the  damning  influence  of  drink.  Could  we  lift  the 
curtain  that  conceals  from  our  view  the  secrets  of  the 
charnel-house,  every  eye  would  be  dimmed  by  the 
hideous  sight,  every  heart  would  swell  with  an  indig- 
nant and  fierce  resolve,  to  battle  to  the  death,  any 
agency  that  could  by  any  possibility  produce  such  un- 
told horrors. 

Hear  the  cry  of  despair  from  the  wretched  sufferers, 
coining  up  from  the  depths,  and  listen  to  the  wailing 
of  women  and  children — and  be  still,  if  you  can.  One 
woman  writes  me,  "  It  would  take  weeks  to  tell  you 
all  I  have  suffered  from  a  drunken  husband." 

Another  writes :  "  I  have  heard  you  picture  tales 
of  misery,  but  not  one  where  the  child  of  a  drunkard 
has  suffered  what  I  have." 

Another :  "  Ah !  how  my  heart  aches,  when  I  think 
of  all  we  have  passed  through.  I  often  look  at  my 
poor  father,  and  say  to  my  dear  mother :  '  Oh !  if  Mr. 
Gough  could  only  look  here — would  not  this  give 
him  a  subject  ? '  Oh  !  my  poor,  poor  father — my 
broken-hearted  mother !  My  hand  trembles,  and 
tears  come  unbidden  to  my  eyes,  when  I  think  of 
what  we  have  to  endure.  I  was  obliged  to  leave 
school  between  eleven  and  twelve,  as  about  that  time 
my  poor  father  became  a  complete  idiot,  and  I  have 
been  obliged  to  be  pushed  about  in  the  world  with 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     365 

the  rest  of  our  family,  as  best  we  can ;   and  what  has 
caused  all  this,  but  strong  drink  ?" 

A  mother  writes :  "  0,  God !  the  staff  of  my  old 
age  is  broken — my  boy  is  a  drunkard  ! " 

Read  this  from  a  young  lady:  "In  the  beginning 
of  the  war,  my  father  enlisted ;  my  eldest  brother 
would  not  remain  at  home,  and  followed  him  to  the 
army;  my  second  brother  served  in  the  navy;  my 
mother,  whose  health  was  delicate,  a  younger  brother, 
and  two  sisters — mere  children — were  left  at  home. 
We  suffered  privation  and  hardships;  we  bore  all 
cheerfully;  when  the  crushing  intelligence  came  that 
father  died  in  Virginia,  Still  we  bore  up;  when  the 
news  came  that  my  brother  in  the  navy  was  dead. 
This  was  hard — but  we  did  not  despair ;  but  oh !  the 
heavens  grew  black  as  midnight,  and  the  load  crushed 
us  to  the  earth,  when  my  eldest  brother  came  home 
a  hopeless,  confirmed  drunkard.  Then  mother's  heart 
broke ;  and  now,  with  feeble  health,  I  am  struggling 
on  alone.  -Perhaps  this  is  presumption  in  me  to  tell 
you  this.  Use  it  as  you  will ;  but  do  not  let  the  wri- 
ter's name  be  seen  by  others,  as  an  unsympathizing 
world  should  never  know  of  private  trouble." 

A  distressed  father,  pleading  for  an  only  son,  writes : 
"My  son  has  ruined  me,  and  is  bringing  his  poof 
mother  to  the  grave,  broken-hearted.  Oh,  sir,  try 
to  reach  my  son.  I  would  give  my  life  for  his — my 
only  son.  Can  he  be  reformed?  All  we  can  do  has 
been  in  vain.  If  you  will  try  to  help  him  to  see  his 
folly,  may  God  reward  you,  and  we  will  give  you  our 
lasting  blessing ! " 

Another:  "I  have  never  known  but  one  sorrow. 
My  father,  mother,  sisters,  and  brother  had  gone  to 


366     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

their  last  home,  and  left  me  alone.  I  thought  that 
was  sorrow,  but  I  was  mistaken.  Now  I  have  a  sor- 
row, a  great  heavy  sorrow ;  how  it  crushes  me !  al- 
most insupportable.  Friends  say,  'Leave  the  cause.' 
Can  I  forget,  if  I  leave  ?  They  cannot  understand 
how  I  can  love  a  man  that  has  forgotten  to  respect 
himself.  Poor  man,  but  thirty- three  years  old.  Many 
a  long  night  have  I  spent  watching  him  in  deliriiim 
tremens,  fearing  he  would  die.  God  help  me !  for  my 
great  sorrow  is  beyond  the  help  of  man.  My  heart 
is  sick.  I  have  a  boy — a  fine  little  fellow.  How  I 
have  trembled  for  him,  lest  he  should  follow  his  fa- 
ther's footsteps!  He  is  quick  and  impulsive  ;  is  fond 
of  his  father ;  and  has  asked :  t  Can't  I  drink  beer 
if  father  does?'  I  took  him — the  little  fellow — to 
hear  you.  When  he  came  home,  he  said  :  '  Mother, 
I'll  be  temperance,  and  I'll  sign  the  pledge.'  I  had 
no  pledge,  so  I  wrote  what  I  thought  would  answer, 
and  he  has  signed  it;  and  now  he  says:  Til  never 
drink,  and  I  shall  tell  Mr.  Gough  that  I  have  not 
drank  cider  since  I  first  saw  him.'  Oh!  if  you  could 
help  my  husband.  Forgive  me  for  troubling  you. 
If  you  cannot  help  us,  pray  for  us.  «  I  have  many 
times,  in  agony  of  spirit,  offered  up  the  prayer  I 
found  in  your  book.*  My  Father  knows  I  would 
rather  all  this  should  come  upon  me,  than  my  hus- 
band should  die  a  drunkard." 

One  lady,  after  relating  her  sufferings,  writes :  "  I 
will  stand  up  for  the  temperance  cause,  I  will  pray 
for  the  temperance  cause,  I  will  work  for  the  temper- 
ance cause,  I  will  do  all  I  can  by  example,  for  the 
temperance  cause. 

*See  page  146. 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY    OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH. 

"  'Tell  me  I  hate  the  bowl- 
Hate  is  a  feeble  word  : 
I  loathe — abhor — my  very  soul 

With  strong  disgust  is  stirred, 
Whene'er  I  see,  or  hear,  or  tell, 
Of  the  dark  beverage  of  hell.'  " 

In  some  of  these  cases  I  obtained  interviews,  and 
did  what  I  could;  but  oh!  it  is  hard — very  hard. 
"How  long,  0  Lord,  how  long?" 

I  will  copy  no  more. 

My  heart  aches  at  such  revelations,  and  I  gather 
the  letters  before  me — more  than  a  hundred — and 
place  them  in  the  drawer  where  they  have  lain  as 
they  accumulated,  dumb  records  of  trials  and  suffer- 
ings, of  darkness  and  despair,  of  blasted  hopes,  blighted 
prospects,  blackened  characters,  and  lost  souls — some 
of  them  too  terrible  to  repeat;  but  all  known  to  Him 
who  has  said :  "  Wo  unto  him  that  giveth  his  neighbor 
drink,  that  puttest  thy  bottle  to  him,  and  makest  him 
drunken  also.  Thou  art  filled  with  shame  for  glory: 
the  cup  of  the  Lord's  right  hand  shall  be  turned  unto 
thee,  and  shameful  spewing  shall  be  on  thy  glory; 
for  the  violence  of  Lebanon  shall  cover  thee,  because 
of  men's  blood,  and  for  the  violence  of  the  land,  of  the 
city,  and  of  all  that  dwell  therein." — Hdbakkuk  ii.,  15, 
16,  17. 

I  have  made  these  extracts  from  letters  received 
both  in  this  country  and  Great  Britain. 

A  young  lady  called  on  me  in  London — one  of  the 
most  beautiful  women  I  ever  saw — dying  of  consump- 
tion. She  said:  "I  have  come  to  see  you  on  behalf 
of  my  brother.  Since  my  poor  father  and  mother 
died,  I  have  been  his  principal  support." 

I  asked,  "Is  he  disabled?" 


368     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

"Oh!  sir,"  she  said,  "do  not  judge  him  harshly. 
He  is  naturally  noble-hearted  and  generous;  but  he 
has  gone  into  dissipation.  I  am  a  governess.  I  am 
not  fit  to  be  teaching.  I  procure  him  a  situation, 
and  he  loses  it  through  drink,  and  comes  to  me.  I 
cannot  turn  him  away,  and  I  support  him.  What  can 
I  do?  We  are  orphans,  and  he  has  no  friend  but  me." 

She  became  very  much  agitated,  and  pressed  her 
hands  on  her  chest,  as  if  to  stay  the  cough  that  was 
killing  her,  and  said : 

"I  am  in  great  distress;  my  cough  troubles  me 
much  at  night;  but  I  have  a  worse  trouble  than  my 
illness.  I  have  lain  awake  many  nights,  thinking  of 
him.  He  has  lately  been  in  possession  of  considera- 
ble money,  and  I  have  feared  for  some  developments 
that  might  disgrace  us;  for  though  we  are  reduced, 
our  name  is  without  a  stain.  I  have  dreaded  to  ask 
him  where  he  obtained  it;  but  I  know  now." 

The  tears  were  flowing  fast  as  she  sobbed  out : 

"  He  has  broken  open  a  desk  of  mine,  and  robbed 
me  of  every  penny  I  have  been  saving  for  years,  for 
my  sickness,  my  death,  and  my  burial, — for  I  cannot 
live  long, — and  he  has  left  me  destitute — and  oh !  it 
is  too  bad." 

Too  bad !  For  a  brother  to  rob  a  sick  and  dying 
sister — yes,  too  bad;  but  just  what  drink  will  do. 
There  is  no  meanness  under  heaven,  no  crime  how- 
ever dastardly,  that  the  love  of  that  drink  will  not 
drive  a  man  to. 

But  you  say  "  That  young  man  was  a  brute." 

No!  no!  not  a  brute.  I  received  a  letter  from  a 
lady  who,  when  she  gave  it  to  me,  holding  my  hand 
in  hers,  said:  "Read  it,  Mr.  Gough;  and  may  it  en- 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OP  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     369 

courage  you!"  I  give  an  extract:  "You  may  re- 
member the  young  man  whose  sister,  a  governess, 
called  on  you  more  than  two  years  ago.  From  the 
day  you  saw  him,  to  his  death,  he  tasted  no  drink.  A 
course  of  dissipation,  acting  on  a  highly  sensitive  or- 
ganization, induced  disease ;  but  during  a  long  illness, 
he  gave  his  heart  to  the  Saviour,  and  died  with  a 
blessed  hope  of  a  glorious  immortality.  He  was  very 
dear  to  me  "  (these  words  were  underscored).  "  I  was 
with  him  during  his  illness,  and  on  the  night  before 
he  died,  he  turned  to  me  and  said:  'Tell  Mr.  Gough 
that  the  blessing  of  one  ready  to  perish  shall  come 
upon  him.'  His  sister  is  just  alive.  I  saw  her  last 
night,  and  her  message  to  you  was :  '  Inasmuch  as  ye 
have  done  it  to  one  of  the  least  of  these,  ye  have 
done  it  unto  me.' ' 

How  I  hate  the  drink,  when  I  know  that  it.  trans- 
forms the  noble  into  the  base,  and  makes  generous 
men  mean  and  cruel. 

A  lady  told  me :  "  I  am  the  daughter  of  a  Doctor 
of  Divinity.  My  mother  has  been  afflicted  with 
heart  disease;  my  brother  George  is  a  drunkard. 
When  he  goes  off  on  what  they  call  a  spree,  my 
mother  is  sick.  About  three  months  since,  when  my 
brother  came  home,  my  father  asked  him  to  look  at 
his  mother,  and  then  come  to  him  in  the  library. 
When  there,  he  said  to  him :  i  George,  my  son,  your 
mother  lies  sick.  She  loves  you  in  the  core  of  her 
heart;  many  a  night's  vigil  has  she -kept  by  your 
bedside.  When  you  were  suffering,  you  made  no 
motion  she  did  not  notice,  uttered  no  sound  she  did 
not  hear,  and  she  was  prompt  to  minister  to  you. 
She  lies  there  now,  and  my  son,  it  is  not  rhetoric,  but 


370     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

fact,  if  your  mother  dies,  you  have  killed  her.'"  The 
lady  then,  standing  up,  with  her  hands  clasped,  her 
face  working  with  agony,  said :  "  Oh !  Mr.  Gough, 
my  mother  now  lies  at  the  point  of  death,  and  my 
brother  George  has  been  drunk  for  ten  days." 

I  have  facts  so  terrible  that  I  dare  not  write  them. 
And  yet,  this  ruin  is  going  on.  A  new  generation  is 
coming  up — what  shall  we  do  for  them  ?  If  I  have 
stirred  one  heart  to  indignation,  that  shall  move  the 
head  to  plan,  and  the  hand  to  work  against  this  evil, 
I  am  content,  and  will  not  ask  my  reader  to  pardon 
me  that  I  have  led  him  for  a  brief  space  through  such 
scenes  of  wretchedness.  It  is  worth  a  mighty  effort 
to  save  a  man.  To  rescue  a  man  from  such  thralldom 
is  worth  a  life-time  of  labor.  I  have  been  struck 
with  this  fact,  that  in  almost  every  instance,  when  a 
man  has  been  induced  only  to  make  an  effort  at  re- 
form— hardened  as  he  may  have  become  through  a 
long  course  of  sin  and  self-indulgence — the  moment 
he  makes  the  first  effort,  he  becomes  softened,  as  if 
his  good  angel  stooped  to  touch  his  heart,  and  unseal 
the  fountain  of  human  feeling,  so  long  sealed  up  by 
the  influence  of  his  habits. 

A  man  at  whose  house  I  was  a  guest,  told  me  that 
he  had  been  a  hard  drinker  and  a  cruel  husband ;  had 
beaten  his  poor  wife  till  she  had  almost  become  used 
to  it;  but,  said  he:  "The  very  moment  I  signed  the 
pledge,  I  thought  of  my  wife, — what  will  my  wife 
say  to  this  ?  Strange,  that  I  should  think  of  my  wife 
the  first  thing;  but  I  did;  and  as  I  was  going  home, 
I  said  to  myself:  'Now,  if  I  go  home  and  tell  her  all 
of  a  sudden  that  I  have  signed  the  pledge,  she'll  faint 
away,  or  she'll  up  and  do  something;  and  I  must  break 


ATJTOBIOGKAPHY   OF  JOHN   B.  GOUGH.  371 

it  to  her  by  degrees.  Only  think  of  it! — why,  the 
night  before,  I  should  have  knocked  her  down,  just  as 
like  as  not,  if  she  had  not  looked  to  please  me;  and 
now,  I  am  planning  to  break  good  news  to  her,  for 
fear  it  will  upset  her.'" 

As  near  as  I  could  gather  from  what  he  told  me,  he 
found  his  wife  sitting  over  the  embers,  waiting  for 
him.  As  he  came  into  the  house,  he  said:  "Nancy,  I 
think  that— I  think  that" 

"Well,  Ned,  what  is  it?" 

"Why,  I  think  I  shall — that  is — I  mean  to — to — 
Nancy,  I  mean  to" 

"What's  the  matter,  Ned? — anything  the  matter?" 

'•Yes,"  said  he,  "the  matter  is  just  this, — I  have 
signed  the  temperance  pledge,  and  so  help  me  God, 
I'll  keep  it."  She  started  to  her  feet,  and  she  did 
faint  away.  I  was  just  in  time  to  catch  her,  and  as 
she  lay  in  my  arms,  her  eyes  shut  and  her  face  so 
pale,  thinks  I,  she's  dead,  and  I  have  done  it  now. 
But  she  wasn't  dead;  she  opened  her  eyes,  and  then 
she  put  her  arms  round  my  neck,  and  I  did  not  know 
she  was  so  strong,  as  she  pulled,  and  pulled,  till  she 
got  me  down,  where  I  had  not  been  before  for  thirty 
years, — on  my  knees ;  and  then  she  said  :  "  Oh !  God, 
help  him;"  and  I  said  "Amen;"  and  she  said:  "  Oh  I 
God  help  my  poor  Ned,  and  strengthen  him  to  keep 
his  pledge ;  "  and  I  hollered  " Amen! "  just  as  loud  as 
I  could  holler;  and  she  kept  praying,  and  I  kept  hol- 
lering— you  never  heard  a  Methodist,  in  the  biggest 
revival  you  ever  saw,  holler  as  loud  as  I  did ; — I  had 
like  to  split  my  throat,  I  hollered  "  Amen "  so  loud. 
That  was  the  first  time  we  ever  knelt  together ; — but 
it  was  not  the  last." 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Address  to  Outcasts — "  Fire  " — "  One  of  Us  " — Arrival  Home — First 
Speech  in  Philadelphia — First  Visit  to  Chicago — Impressions — 
The  West — Christian  Influence — Return  Home — A  Wedding — Sum- 
mer's Rest — Work  in  the  Church  and  Sunday-School — Rev.  Georgo 
Gould — Death  of  William  Lincoln — Second  Visit  to  Chicago — Cin- 
cinnati— Work  in  Boston,  New  York,  and  Pennsylvania — Return 
Home — Preparations  for  Second  Trip  to  England — Farewell  Picnic — 
Address  in  Worcester — Departure. 

I  HAVE  more  than  once  spoken  to  an  audience  of 
what  are  termed  "outcasts;"  and  a  pitiful  sight  it  is. 
On  one  occasion  I  addressed  eight  hundred,  and  on 
another — in  Glasgow — over  three  thousand.  The  city 
missionaries  had,  by  their  influence,  induced  the  poor 
creatures  to  come.  There  were  rags,  and  filth,  and 
degradation,  beyond  description.  It  seemed  as  if  the 
last  lingering  trace  of  human  beauty  had  been  dashed 
out  by  the  hoof  of  debauchery,  and  the  die  of  devil 
stamped  on  the  defaced  image  of  God ;  and  all  of  them 
human  beings,  with  hearts,  and  souls,  with  a  love  for 
•  the  pure  and  beautiful, — men  and  women, — yes,  and 
children, — with  such  human  histories  of  want,  and 
suffering,  privation  and  misery,  as  might  well  be 
traced  in  tears  and  written  in  blood. 

On  one  occasion,  as  I  entered  the  audience  room, 
where  some  hundreds  of  this  class  had  assembled, 
with  the  provost  of  the  borough  and  a  minister  of 
the  town,  who  accompanied  me,  the  former  said, 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHK  B.  GOUGH.     373 

as  we  came  in:  "Mr.  Gough,  you  have  'Fire'  in  the 
house  to-night." 

I  asked,  "What  do  you  mean?" 

He  said,  "Do  you  see  that  tall  woman,  near  the 
platform." 

"Yes." 

"Her  nickname  is  'Hell-fire;'  she  is  known  by  no 
other  name  in  the  vicinity  of  her  wretched  residence. 
When  she  appears  in  the  street,  the  boys  cry  'Fire! 
Fire!'  She  is  the  most  incorrigible  woman  in  the 
borough.  She  has  been  brought  before  me  scores  of 
times,  and  sentenced  to  imprisonment  from  four  days 
to  six  months.  She  is  ripe  for  mischief,  and  if  she 
makes  a  disturbance,  you  will  see  such  a  row  as  you 
never  saw  before.  The  power  of  the  woman's  tongue 
in  blasphemy  is  horrible." 

When  I  rose  to  address  the  audience  I  expected  a 
row,  and  confess  to  a  nervous  feeling  of  apprehension. 
I  spoke  to  them  as  men  and  women,  not  as  outcasts, 
or  things.  I  told  them  poverty  was  hard  to  bear; 
but  there  might  be  comfort,  light,  and  peace  with 
poverty;  told  them  I  had  been  poor,  very  poor; 
spoke  to  them  of  my  mother,  and  her  struggles;  then 
of  her  faith,  and  love,  and  hope;  that  there  was  no 
degradation  in  poverty ; — only  sin  caused  that.  In 
proportion  to  wrong-doing  was  the  degradation, — and 
so  on.  I  saw  a  naked  arm  and  hand  lifted  in  the 
crowd,  and  heard  a  voice  cry  out:  "That's  all  true." 

The  woman  ("Fire")  rose  to  her  feet,  and  facing 
me,  said:  "That's  a'  true,  mon, — ye're  telling  the 
truth;"  and  stretching  her  arms  to  the  audience, 
said:  "The  mon  kens  what  he's  talking  aboot." 

When  I  concluded,  she  came  on  the  platform,  and 


374     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

I  almost  thought  she  might  tackle  me.  She  was  a 
large  woman,  and  looked  like  a  hard  hitter,  and  I 
never  desired  to  come  in  contact  with  "  strong- 
minded"  or  big-fisted  women;  but  after  looking  at 
me  a  moment,  she  said:  "Tak'  a  gude  look  at  me, 
mon.  I'm  a  bit  of  a  beauty,  ain't  I?"  Then,  com- 
ing close  to  me,  "Would  you  gi'e  a  body  like  me  the 
pledge?" 

I  answered  at  once,  "Yes,  ma'am." 

A  gentleman  said:  "She  cannot  keep  it;  she  will 
be  drunk  before  she  goes  to  bed  to-night; — better  not 
give  her  the  pledge." 

I  turned  to  her:  "Madam,  here  is  a  gentleman  who 
says  you  cannot  keep  it  if  you  sign  it." 

Clenching  her  fist,  she  said,  "Show  me  the  mon." 

I  asked,  "  Can  you  keep  it?" 

"  Can  I  ?— if  I  say  I  wull,  I  can." 

"Then  say  you  will." 

"I  wull." 

"Give  me  your  hand  on  that," — and  I  shook  hands 
with  her.  She  signed  it,  and  I  said:  "I  know  you 
will  keep  it;  and  before  I  go  to  America  I  will  come 
and  see  you." 

"Come  and  see  me  when  you  wull,"  she  answered, 
"and  you'll  find  I  ha'e  keepit  it." 

It  must  have  been  two  years  from  that  time,  I  was 
speaking  there  again,  and  after  the  lecture,  a  gen- 
tleman said  to  me:  "I  wish  to  introduce  to  you  an 
old  friend,  whom  perhaps  you  have  forgotten, — 'Mrs. 
Archer,'  no  longer  'Fire." 

I  was  introduced,  and  shook  hands  heartily  with 
her  and  her  daughter,  who  sat  by  her.  I  had  noticed 
the  woman  during  my  speech,  for  she  hardly  took  her 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OP   JOHN   B.  GOUGH.  375 

eyes  off  me,  from  the  time  I  rose  till  I  sat  down.  I 
went  "to  her  house,  and  part  of  what  she  said  to  me 
was  this : — 

"Ah!  Mr.  Gough,  I'm  a  puir  body;  I  dinna  ken 
much,  and  what  little  I  ha'e  kenned  has  been  knocked 
out  of  me  by  the  staffs  of  the  policemen ;  4for  they 
beat  me  aboot  the  head  a  good  deal,  and  knocked 
prutty  much  a'  the  sense  out  of  me ;  but  sometimes 
I  ha'e  a  dream — I  dream  I'm  drunk,  and  fichting,  and 
the  police  ha'e  got  me  again ;  and  then  I  get  out  of 
my  bed,  and  I  go  down  on  my  knees,  and  I  don't  go 
back  to  my  bed  till  the  daylight  comes,  and  I  keep 
saying :  l  God  keep  me — for  I  canna  get  drunk  any 


mair." 


Her  daughter  said :  "  Aye,  mon ;  I've  heered  my 
mither  in  the  dead  of  night,  on  the  bare  floor,  crying 
'  God  keep  me;'  and  I've  said, — '  Come  to  yer  bed, 
mither,  ye'll  be  cauld ; '  and  she'll  tell  me ;  '  No,  no, 
— I  canna  get  drunk  any  mair.' ' 

I  received  a  letter  from  the  provost  of  the  borough, 
dated  February  1869,  telling  me  that  Mrs.  Archer 
("Fire")  had  been  faithful  to  her  promise,  was  keep- 
ing a  small  provision  store  or  shop ;  had  taken  a  lit- 
tle orphan  boy  out  o.f  the  streets,  and  was  bringing 
him  up  well;  and  sending  me  her  photograph.  I- 
had  heard  from  various  sources  she  was  doing  well, 
and  doing  good.  Soon  after  she  had  signed  the 
pledge,  she  obtained  employment  in  sewing  coarse 
sacks,  and  earned  about  ten  cents  per  day.  Some 
one  gave  her  a  Bible,  and  wet  or  dry,  rain  or  shine, 
she  would  go  every  Sabbath  to  the  mission  chapel. 
There  she  became  a  Christian ;  and  I  was  told  that 
she  employed  her  spare  time  in  endeavoring  to  re- 


376     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

form  others.  I  gave  her  a  pound  note  when  I  saw 
her  at  the  meeting,  and  when  I  called,  her  daughter 
asked  me  to  see  what  her  mother  had  bought  with  it. 
On  the  bed  was  a  pair  of  warm,  woolen  blankets,  and 
she  said :  "  Mither  took  the  pound,  and  bought  the 
blankets -for  saxteen  shillings,  and  brought  back  the 
four  to  me.  I  am  never  afraid  to  trust  my  mither 
now." 

What  a  rebuke  to  those  who,  when  asked  to  give 
up  some  indulgence,  tell  you — "I  can't,  I  can't." 
This  woman,  in  the  midst  of  poverty,  surrounded  by 
every  temptation,  and  a  whole  life-association  with 
evil  influences,  determining  "I  will,"  and  conquering 
her  appetite,  coming  out  into  a  new  life,  and  becom- 
ing respected,  reliable,  and  useful.  I  know  some 
young  men,  with  every  home  influence  to  aid  them, 
and  every  inducement  offered  them,  crying,  "I  can't." 

One  more  incident,  relating  to  these  interesting 
cases  of  reform,  and  I  pass  on.  At  a  meeting  where 
I  saw  some  of  the  most  degraded  creatures  I  ever 
met  in  a  public  assembly,  a  man  and  a  woman  came 
forward  together,  when  signatures  were  invited  to  the 
pledge.  I  hardly  supposed  they  intended  to  sign  it, 
for  they  were  such  miserable,  forlorn-looking  crea- 
tures; the  man  appeared  as  if  the  drink  had  scorched 
up  his  intellect, — bowed  down, — his  hands  nervously 
twitching — looking  so  silly  that  you  could  hardly  im- 
agine a  grain  of  sense  was  left  to  him.  But  the  wo- 
man was  utterly  indescribable.  A  fierce  looking  vi- 
rago, dirty,  slovenly,  half-dressed — dressed!  she  was 
not  dressed  at  all;  a  heap  of  filthy  rags  tied  round 
her  waist  by  a  bit  of  rope,  and  above  that,  literally 
nothing  but  an  old  shawl,  twisted  and  brought  over 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     377 

one  shoulder  and  under  the  other.  To  my  astonish- 
ment they  -both  signed  the  pledge, — or  rather,  left 
such  marks  as  a  fly,  taken  out  of  the  inkstand  and 
set  to  run  over  the  paper  would  make.  The  secre- 
tary of  the  society,  with  others,  were  busy  in  making 
out  certificates  for  those  who  wished  to  join  the  soci- 
ety. These  certificates  were  quite  attractive — fit  for 
framing — being  printed  in  colored  letters,  and  for 
which  sixpence  was  charged.  The  payment  of  this 
sum,  with  the  certificate,  constituted  them  members 
of  the  society.  The  man  looked  dreamily  and  yet 
wistfully  at  the  certificates,  and  I  said  to  some  gentle- 
men near  me :  "  Please  do  not  say  anything  to  this 
couple ;  I  wish  to  see  what  they  will  do." 

After  a  few  moments,  the  poor  fellow  said  to  his 
wife:  "I'd  like  to  join,  and  get  a  stiffkit." 

"There's  sixpence  to  pay  for  them  things,"  said  the 
woman,  very  sharply. 

"But,"  pleaded  the  man,  "I  would  like  to  get  a 
stiffkit," 

"There's  sixpence  to  pay  on  them  things;  now  you 
come  'long  o'  me,"  said  the  woman,  pulling  him  away. 

"No  I  won't,"  he  answered, — almost  whining, — "I 
won't  go  'long  o'  you;  I  want  a  stiffkit." 

The  woman  looked  fierce,  and  the  man  looked  stu- 
pidly dogged,  and  there  was  a  prospect  of  a  very  un- 
interesting family  jar  taking  place,  when  a  gentleman 
stepped  up  and  said:  "Well,  good  people,  I  hope  you 
will  sign  the  pledge." 

He  spoke  very  kindly,  and  the  man  looked  up,  and 
said  quickly:  "We  have  signed  the  pledge,  me  and 
my  missus, — she's  my  missus, — and  we  want  to  get  a 
stiffkit,  and  join  the  'ciety." 


378     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

"Well,  why  do  you  not?" 

"There's  sixpence  to  pay  for  'em." 

"  That  need  make  no  difference,"  said  the  gentleman 
cheerily.  "Here,  Mr.  Secretary,  make  these  good  peo- 
ple out  a  couple  of  certificates,  and  here  is  the  shil- 
ling for  them." 

The  effect  produced  by  his  kind  and  cheery  man- 
ner was  surprising.  The  man  was  affected  very  dif- 
ferently from  the  woman.  He  looked  more  manly, 
and  stood  erect;  she  looked  fierce — almost  savage — 
as  if  resenting  the  first  approach  to  kindness.  The 
secretary  asked  the  man's  name,  as  they  could  not  be 
deciphered  on  the  pledge.  He  gave  his  name,  and 
with  a  pleased  expression  received  the  embossed  card 
of  membership.  Then  the  woman  was  asked  her 
name,  and  she  stood  sulky;  her  eye  grew  cold  and 
hard  as  granite;  no  answer.  .Again  she  was  kindly 
asked  to  give  her  name;  no  reply;  but  her  brows 
knit  and  grew  dark,  as  if  a  storm  was  brewing.  She 
gave  a  quick,  nervous  glance  around  her;  but  no 
reply. 

".Come,  madam,  if  you  please,  we  will  take  your 
name.  Your  husband  has  his  certificate,  and  we  have 
one  for  you ;  we  only  wish  you  to  give  us  your  name 
— it  is  the  rule  for  those  who  receive  these  cards  to 
give  their  names ;  we  are  willing  to  wait  for  you." 

Still  no  reply;  but  the  mouth  twitched  nervously, 
and  her  fingers  were  twisted  together.  Suddenly  she 
lifted  her  arm,  as  if  to  strike  a  blow — but  no  !  it  was 
to  dash  away  a  tear !  Then  another — and  another — 
but  they  would  come ;  so,  covering  her  face  with  her 
hands,  she  let  them  come.  How  she  did  cry !  The 
tears  ran  over  her  hands — she  could  not,  nor  did  she 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY    OF   JOHN    B.    GOUGH.  379 

try  to,  keep  them  back.  We  stood  near  her,  our  eyes 
dim ;  but  not  a  word  was  spoken.  At  last  she  hastily 
took  down  her  arms,  and  shaking  out  the  shawl,  drew 
it  over  her  shoulders,  and  with  both  hands  held  it  over 
her  breast,  and  stood  with  bowed  head.  The  word  of 
kindness  had  stirred  the  white  ashes  that  covered  the 
last  spark  of  the  woman,  and  she  stood,  literally 
clothed  and  in  her  right  mind.  The  name  was  soon 
given,  the  certificate  handed  to  her,  and  the  two  poor 
creatures  looked  positively  bewildered  at  each  other 
— the  man  at  her,  and  she  at  him.  Degraded,  debased, 
wretched,  filthy,  vicious — the  dark  cloud  seemed  to  be 
lifting,  and  God  only  knew  what  was  in  their  hearts, 
as  they  looked,  almost  lovingly,  each  in  the  other's 
face. 

The  gentleman  who  had  paid  the  shilling,  laid  his 
hand  on  the  man's  shoulder,  and  said:  "Now  re- 
member you  are  one  of  us.  You  have  signed  the 
temperance  pledge,  you  belong  to  the  society,  and 
you  must  always  remember  you  are  one  of  us. 

"Did  ye  hear  that,  old  woman?"  cried  out  the  man. 
"Did  ye  hear  that?  He  says  we're  'one  of  us.' 
Come  away  wi'  me — 'one  of  us' — the  gentleman—- 
1  one  of  us ' — "  and  they  went  out  of  the  hall. 

Three  years  and  more  had  passed,  when,  at  the 
close  of  a  lecture  in  a  town  some  distance  from  where 
this  occurred,  a  person  told  me  that  a  man  wished  to 
see  me. 

Tasked,  "Who  is  it?"     . 

He  replied,  "He  is  a  mechanic;  he  has  been  living 
here  some  time,  and  is  an  active  member  of  our  so- 
ciety. He  says  if  I  tell  you  it's  '  one  of  us,'  you'll 
know." 

24 


380     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

"Show  him  up." 

And  a  man  clean,  tidy,  healthy,  and  respectable, 
grasped  my  hand.  I  told  him  how  glad  I  was  to 
meet  him, — that  I  should  not  have  known  him, — and 
then  said :  "  Have  you  ever  seen  the  gentleman  who 
said  'you're  one  of  us?" 

"No,  sir;  I've  never  seen  him  since.  You  see,  I 
don't  move  in  that  class  of  people,  and  I  left  the  town 
soon  after,  and  got  work  here;  but  I'll  never  forget 
him,  if  I  never  meet  him  till  I  meet  him  in  heaven. 
I'll  tell  him  then,  how  his  good,  kind  words  helped 
me  when  I  needed  help.  Ah!  Mr.  Gough,  you  ought 
•to  see  my  wife, — she's  a  changed  woman  now;  and 
she  remembers  him;  and  when  she  teaches  the  chil- 
dren to  say  their  prayers,  she  weaves  in  little  bits 
beautiful,  that  God  would  bless  him.  She's  a  knowing 
woman.  Ah!  well,  good-bye,  Mr.  Gough;  wish  ye  a 
safe  voyage  home,  and  come  back  to  us  again.  Good- 
bye,— God  bless  ye ! " 

Oh !  I  thank  the  Master,  that  I  have  been  permitted 
to  know  so  many  of  such  cases;  to  hear  so  many 
"God  bless  ye's"  from  those  who  have  been  helped  to 
reform  through  the  agency  of  the  glorious  temper- 
ance movement.  I  love  to  recall  them,  and  I  love  to 
write  them  as  encouragement  to  others  to  help  in  a 
warfare,  whose  trophies  are  men  and  women  re- 
deemed from  the  power  of  sin,  evil  habit,  and  an 
awful  curse. 

On  Friday,  August  17th,  we  reached  home,  after 
an  absence  of  two  years  and  fourteen  days.  Home, 
sweet  home!  Though  kindly  treated,  and  busied  in 
pleasant  work,  our  hearts  had  manytimes  yearned 
towards  the  deat  old  "Bay  State,"  and  our  home. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     381 

We  were  delighted,  and  like  children,  in  our  glee  at 
being  once  more  at  home.  We  went  from  room  to 
room,  exploring  every  nook  and  corner.  "  Our  home ! " 
We  were  filled  with  thankfulness,  and  slept  but  little 
that  night.  Even  the  "Yankee  twang,"  so  much  rid- 
iculed, wasnnusical  to  us.  "I  guess" — how  we  en- 
joyed hearing  again  the  familiar  expression,  I  guess ! 
Yes,  we  are  at  home.  Now  for  a  little  rest;  and  then 
to  work.  Next  day  a  deputation  came  to  us  from 
New  York  and  New  Jersey.  We  found  letters  from 
all  parts  of  the  country  calling  for  service;  so,  after 
resting  till  October  4th,  I  commenced  in  Philadelphia, 
where  we  were  entertained  by  Leonard  Jewell,  and  his 
son  and  daughter,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  H.  Reed.  Their 
house  has  been  our  home  ever  since,  during  our  fre- 
quent visits  to  the  city  of  "brotherly  love" — and  very 
hospitable  and  pleasant  we  have  always  found  it. 

I  continued  lecturing  in  New  York  State,  as  far  as 
Buffalo ;  returned  home  November  6th  to  prepare  for 
a  trip  to  Chicago ;  spoke  in  Hartford  and  New  Haven, 
and,  by  way  of  Elmira,  traveled  to  Chicago ;  from  thence 
to  St.  Louis,  where  we  spent  a  week,  and  I  delivered 
six  lectures ;  then  through  Illinois,  on  our  way  to  Cleve- 
land, and  home — arriving  there  January  2,  1856. 

I  had  often  been  invited  to  Chicago,  and  give  « 
portion  of  a  letter  from  there,  dated  February  28, 
1848,  inviting  me  to  lecture  on  temperance: — 

The  importance  of  the  field  is  such  that  we  trust  nothing  will  pre- 
vent your  acceding  to  our  request.  We  have  a  city  of  seventeen  thou- 
sand inhabitants,  and  a  spirited  class  of  ladies  and  gentlemen,  who  will 
greet  you,  and  a  class  of  young  men  who  are  in  danger.  It  was  a  unan- 
imous call  from  a  large  meeting,  to  ask  you  to  visit  us  as  soon  as  you 
can.  [Signed]  AARON  GIBBS, 

CHABLES  WALKER, 


382     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHK  B.  GOUGH. 

I  could  not  accept  this  invitation,  and  had  not  been 
able  before  to  arrange  for  a  visit;  but  I  arrived  in 
Chicago  on  Friday,  December  7,  1855,  and  found  a 
population  of  more  than  one  hundred  thousand;  at  this 
present  time  I  am  told  that  the  city  contains  about 
three  hundred  thousand.  I  have  often  wished  that  I 
could  have  labored  there,  and  been  identified,  by  my 
work,  with  the  infancy  of  what  is  destined  to  be  a  gi- 
ant among  the  cities  of  the  world.  I  was  received 
there  by  Mr.  E.  S.  Wells,  through  whose  instrument- 
ality I  came,  and  who  entertained  me  in  his  delightful 
home — made  so  by  warm  hearts  and  generous  natur.es ; 
and  he  and  his  noble  wife,  and  their  children,  will  be 
pleasantly  remembered  and  associated  with  my  first 
visit  to  Chicago.  I  delivered  seven  lectures  there,  and 
one  each  in  Elgin,  111.,  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  Waukegan, 
Bloomington,  Alton,  and  Springfield,  111. ;  besides  the 
six  in  St.  Louis. 

This  being  my  first  view  of  the  West,  my  impres- 
sions were  those  of  wonder,  almost  amounting  to  awe, 
at  the  vast  resources  and  the  certain  future  import- 
ance and  power  of  the  great  West.  I  leave  it  for 
others,  who  are  able,  to  write  of  the  West  and  its  des- 
tiny ;  prophets  all,  and  true,  when  they  tell  of  her 
progress  and  coming  magnificence — for  she  grows 
before  our  eyes  almost  passing  belief,  and  will  grow 
year  by  year,  as  the  bands  of  iron  have  united  her  to 
the  Pacific,  and  made  her  the  great  highway  of  the 
nations  of  the  earth,  to  the  regions  almost  unknown 
in  the  beginning  of  this  generation. 

Every  Christian  must  look  at  the  West  with  in- 
terest and  deep  anxiety  for  the  enlightenment  of  the 
Western  mind,  and  the  establishment  of  the  princi- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     383 

pies  of  a  pure  Christianity.  West  of  the  Mississippi, 
what  a  domain  is  rapidly  coming  into  cultivation  and 
settlement !  What  a  population  of  millions  must  oc- 
cupy the  vast  territory.  It  is  for  Christians  to  decide 
whether  these  fertile  lands  shall  be  over-run  with 
heathenism  and  infidelity,  or  flooded  with  the  light  of 
Christian  education.  It  is  a  grand  thing  to  live  in 
these  times  of  battle  for  right  or  wrong,  for  good  or 
evil,  for  Christ  or  Belial.  The  field  is  vast — the  op- 
posing elements  to  good  are  powerful;  the  god  of 
this  world  is  marshalling  his  forces  to  "  go  up  and 
possess  the  land; "  but  if  all  who  love  the  Lord  Jesus 
will,  in  His  name,  set  up  their  banners,  and  come  to 
the  "  help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty,"  the  issues 
of  such  a  conflict  are  sure ;  for  "  greater  is  He  that  is 
for  us  than  all  they  that  be  against  us ; "  and  we  may 
thus  co-operate  with  God  and  holy  angels  in  prevent- 
ing sin,  and  in  establishing  His  kingdom  in  this  great 
gathering-place  of  the  nations.  Men  and  women  are 
laboring  for  this,  full  of  faith.  May  our  God  speed 
their  efforts ! 

Before  leaving  Great  Britain,  I  had  made  an  agree- 
ment to  return  in  twro  years,  under  engagements  with 
the  "London  Temperance  League,"  and  "Scottish 
Temperance  League,"  (the  head-quarters  of  the  latter- 
being  in  Glasgow,)  eight  months  of  each  year  in  Eng- 
land, and  four  months  in  Scotland,  the  engagements 
to  terminate  at  the  expiration  of  three  years;  the 
number  of  lectures  to  be  two  hundred  per  year;  the 
terms,  as  before,  ten  guineas  per  lecture,  and  travel- 
ing expenses;  the  two  Leagues  agreeing  to  devote  a 
few  weeks  to  Ireland.  My  work  in  1856  was  with 
this  in  view,  involving  a  large  amount  of  travel, 


384     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

as  I  was  desirous  of  covering  as  much  territory  as 
possible,  applications  from  all  parts  of  the  country 
being  numerous.  Till  June  2d,  I  continued  almost 
constantly  at  work  in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Penn- 
sylvania, Maryland,  Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  Rhode 
Island,  New  Hampshire,  and  Maine,  visiting  the  cities 
of  Washington,  Baltimore,  Philadelphia.  New  York, 
Brooklyn,  Providence,  Portland,  and  Boston.  On  the 
2d  of  May,  I  came  home  for  a  few  days,  to  attend  a 
wedding  of  my  wife's  sister,  Sarah,  who  was  married 
by  Dr.  Kirk  of  Boston,  on  the  6th,  to  William  Lin- 
coln of  Oakham, — the  first  wedding  in  our  house. 
To  this  wedding,  Mrs.  A.  B.  Knox,  with  her  little 
daughter,  not  two  years  old,  and  her  sister,  Miss 
Mary  A.  Booth,  came  as  visitors,  and  have  remained 
as  members  of  our  family,  till  the  marriage,  on  April 
3d,  of  Mary  Booth,  to  George  E.  Gladwin,  an  artist; 
now  a  professor  in  the  Worcester  County  Free  Insti- 
tute of  Industrial  Science.  Since  that  time  her  sister 
and  niece  have  continued  with  us,  and  are  now  mem- 
bers of  our  household. 

On  the  2d  of  June,  I  returned  home  for  the  sum- 
mer's rest,  and  became  very  much  interested  in  the 
church  and  Sabbath-school  at  Boylston.  The  church 
being  without  a  pastor,  I  made  some  exertion  to  pro- 
vide the  pulpit  with  ministers — which  brought  me  in 
contact  with  some  noble  men,  many  of  whom  became 
my  valued  friends. 

My  pastor,  Dr.  Kirk  of  Boston,  often  visited  us, 
and  spent  many  days  under  our  roof.  We  were, 
and  are  still,  members  of  his  church,  though  we  are 
rarely  able  to  attend ;  but  in  consideration  of  my 
way  of  life,  the  church  kindly  agreed  that  we  should 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     385 

hold  our  membership.  Though  necessarily  absent  so 
much,  we  were  very  loth  to  dissolve  our  connection 
there,  as  many  associations  in  the  past,  have  bound 
us  in  tenderest  ties  to  the  dear  church  on  Mount 
Vernon. 

The  late  Dr.  Button  of  New  Haven,  was  with  us 
for  three  Sabbaths ;  my  dear  old  friend  Rev.  T.  L. 
Cuyler  preached  for  us.  The  season  was  a  most  de- 
lightful one  to  us.  I  entered  the  Sabbath-school  as  a 
teacher,  and — astonishing  to  relate — though  I  knew 
nothing  of  music,  I  led  the  choir — that  is,  selected 
the  tunes.  I  have  always  looked  back  to  that  sum- 
mer with  delight.  A  revival  took  place  in  the  church, 
and  many  were  added  as  members. 

I  remember  well  the  day  when  Dr.  Kirk  preached 
from  the  text :  "  How  shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect 
so  great  salvation."  After  the  sermon,  he  said  he 
would  hold  a  meeting  in  the  evening,  for  he  believed 
the  Spirit  of  God  was  there  in  power.  At  that  meet- 
ing, he  requested  all  who  wished  to  speak  to  him  on 
their  soul's  interest,  to  come  into  the  vestry.  As  one 
after  another  rose,  and  followed  him,  we  sat  almost 
dumb  with  surprise.  Tears  filled  many  eyes,  and 
when  the  last  had  left  the  church  to  follow  Dr.  Kirk, 
we  were  mute,  till  some  one  said,  "  Let  us  pray,"  and 
we  held  a  prayer-meeting  in  the  church,  while  he  was 
conversing  with  the  persons  in  the  vestry.  As  we 
were  separating,  a  lady  said,  "  We  ought  to  have  an- 
other prayer-meeting."  Some  one  asked,  "  Where 
shall  we  have  it?"  She  said,  "In  my  house."  I  at 
once  called  their  attention,  and,  without  thought,  an- 
nounced, "  There  will  be  a  prayer-meeting  on  Tues- 
day night  at  the  house  of  Mrs. " 


386     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

No  prayer-meeting  had  been  held  for  some  months. 
On  Tuesday  evening,  accompanied  by  our  valued 
friend,  Mr.  George  C.  Ripley,  who  was  visiting  us,  I 
went  with  others  of  our  family  to  the  house,  and 
found  the  room  filled,  but  not  a  male  member  of  the 
church  present.  A  table  was  set,  with  two  lamps, 
a  Bible,  and  hymn  book;  there  was  a  Methodist, 
and  a  Baptist  friend  present,  but  I  was  requested  to 
lead  the  meeting.  Very  much  embarrassed,  I  took 
the  seat  by  the  table,  and  read  the  fifty-first  Psalm, 
gave  out  a  hymn,  and  tried  to  ask  for  help.  Mr. 
Ripley  engaged  in  prayer,  followed  by  the  Metho- 
dist friend ;  and  I  asked  one  or  two  if  they  had  any- 
thing to  say.  A  young  man  rose  and  said  :  "  This 
is  the  first  time  I  ever  spoke  in  such  a  place  as  this 
— but — "  and  he  became  so  affected  that  he  sud- 
denly sat  down ;  the  effect  of  his  broken  words 
was  felt  by  all.  Another  meeting  was  appointed, 
and  during  the  entire  summer  we  held  meetings, 
and  thirty-four  (if  I  remember  rightly)  were  added  to 
the  church. 

Among  the  ministers  who  came  to  preach  for  us, 
was  the  Rev.  George  Gould,  and  from  our  first  meet- 
ing we  became  friends — not  in  the  ordinary  accepta- 
tion of  that  term,  but  we  loved  each  other  at  first 
sight.  There  was  a  rare  tenderness  in  our  friendship. 
Our  souls  were  knit  together;  we  were  so  drawn  to 
each  other,  that  we  seemed  to  fuse  into  one, — it  is  a 
holiday  when  we  meet;  the  grasp  of  his  hand  does 
me  good  "like  a  medicine."  I  number  him  and  his 
wife  among  my  dearest  and  best  loved  friends;  our 
friendship  strengthens  as  we  grow  older;  we  have 
been  together  ^in  dark  days,  and  sunny  days,  but 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     387 

neither  clouds  nor  sunshine  affect  the  stability  of  our 
love  for  each  other. 

I  commenced  work  on  November  8th,  in  Boston, 
after  a  long  vacation,  and  continued  till  December 
3d,  when  I  returned  home  to  attend  the  funeral  of 
William  Lincoln,  at  Oakham.  He  died  December  1, 
1856,  after  a  short  illness,  and  left  Sarah  a  widow,  but 
seven  months  from  her  marriage.  His  was  a  lovely 
character,  and  the  sorrow  for  his  death  was  universal 
in  the  town  where  he  had  lived.  The  bearers  at  his 
funeral  were  some  young  men  he  had  helped  to  the 
Saviour;  and  the  tears  that  dropped  into  his  open 
grave  were  genuine  testimonials  of  the  deep  grief  of 
the  many  he  left  to  mourn  over  the  early  departure 
of  one  so  useful  and  so  dearly  beloved.  I  left  home 
for  Chicago  immediately  after  the  funeral,  reaching 
that  city  on  Wednesday,  December  10th.  I  delivered 
six  lectures  there,  making  excursions  to  places  in  the 
vicinity,  and  concluded  the  year  1856  in  Chicago.  I 
remained  in  Illinois  till  February  23d,  when  I  left  for 
Indianapolis,  on  my  way  to  Cincinnati,  where  we  were 
entertained  by  my  old  friend,  E.  M.  Gregory,  Esq., 
now  Gen.  Gregory.  I  delivered  six  lectures  there, 
and  passing  through  Columbus,  reached  home  on 
Wednesday,  March  llth.  On  Monday  the  23d,  I 
wrote  the  letter  to  George  C.  Campbell,  of  London, 
afterwards  called  the  "  dead  letter,"  and  which  was 
the  cause  of  a  most  painful  controversy,  the  history 
of  which  will  be  given  in  a  future  page. 

On  April  16th,  I  commenced  my  last  trip  before 
leaving  for  England,  at  Boston,  and  continued  work, 
giving  farewell  addresses,  in  New  York  and  Pennsyl- 
vania principally,  reaching  Hillside  on  Wednesday, 


388  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH. 

the  24th,  to  prepare  for  a  voyage,  and  a  three  years' 
absence  from  home.  On  July  2d,  a  farewell  pic- 
nic was  given  in  a  grove  near  my  residence,  where 
neighbors  and  friends  came  to  bid  us  "good-bye," 
and  to  offer  their  best  wishes  for  our  success  while 
absent. 

I  received  from  friends  in  Philadelphia,  a  proposi- 
tion for  a  farewell  meeting  to  be  held  in  that  city, 
previous  to  my  departure.  The  Academy  of  Music 
was  engaged,  and  Thursday,  May  21st,  was  the  time 
appointed.  I  cannot  pass  this  by,  without  an  expres- 
sion of  gratitude  to  them,  for  such  a  magnificent  tes- 
timonial of  good-will,  confidence,  and  esteem.  The 
"Bulletin"  termed  it  "a  splendid  farewell  testimonial" 
and  stated  that  "it  was  one  of  the  most  brilliant  that 
was  ever  given  in  Philadelphia  to  any  man.  There 
were  probably  thirty-five  hundred  individuals  in  the 
audience,  and  it  was  such  an  audience  as  any  orator 
might  feel  it  an  honor  to  address.  The  scene  from 
the  stage  was  magnificent.  The  entrances  were 
thronged,  and  hundreds  stood  around  the  doors,  bal- 
ancing in  their  minds  the  chances  of  getting  either 
a  seat  or  a  sight,  if  they  went  in."  The  "Evening 
Journal"  said:  "Long  before  the  hour  to  commence 
had  arrived,  that  immense  edifice  was  densely  filled 
with  an  intelligent  and  appreciative  audience,  and 
thousands  were  unable  to  obtain  admission.  The 
view  from  the  stage  was  one  of  unusual  splendor, 
presenting,  as  it  were,  a  living  amphitheater  of  human 
faces,  all  beaming  with  the  glad  smile  of  joyful  an- 
ticipation." All  the  city  papers  gave  very  favorable 
notices.  George  H.  Stuart,  Esq.,  presided,  and  Kev. 
John  Chambers  offered  prayer.  At  the  close,  a  very 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     389 

kind  resolution,  expressive  of  their  hearty  good-will, 
was  offered.  It  was  to  me,  a  scene  of  unusual  in- 
terest, and  very  impressive  and  encouraging. 

From  New  Haven,  I  received  the  following  invita- 
tion: 

Dear  Sir, — Learning  that  you  are  about  to  leave  this  country,  for  two 
or  three  years  of  labor  in  the  cause  of  temperance  in  Great  Britain, 
we  have  a  great  desire  to  hear  again  that  voice  which  has  so  often 
stirred  our  souls  in  sympathy  with  the  cause  in  which  you  are  engaged, 
and  also  to  embrace  an  opportunity  of  returning  to  you  our  sincere 
thanks  for  the  great  service  you  have  rendered  us  in  days  that  are  past, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  bid  you  Grod  speed  in  the  work  before  you. 
Please  accept  our  invitation  to  address  your  numerous  friends  in  this 
city,  and  name  to  us  the  earliest  evening  that  may  suit  your  conven- 
ience. 

The  above  was  signed  by  Leonard  Bacon,  D.  D., 
Ex-Gov.  Button,  Rev.  Dr.  Cleaveland,  Moses  L.  Scud- 
der,  and  twenty-two  other  gentlemen  in  the  highest 
social  position.  The  meeting  was  held  in  the  North 
Church  on  Tuesday  evening,  June  23d.  Ex-Gov. 
Dutton  presided ;  the  College  choir  furnished  music 
for  the  occasion.  I  was  greatly  helped  and  strength- 
ened by  these  testimonials,  and  by  the  thoughtful 
kindness  that  prompted  them  on  the  eve  of  my  de- 
parture. 

On  Thursday,  July  9th,  I  gave  a  farewell  address 
at  Worcester,  and  on  Tuesday  the  14th  proceeded  to 
take  the  ship  Niagara  for  Liverpool.  Mrs.  Knox  and 
her  daughter,  her  sister  Mary  Booth,  and  Rev.  George 
Gould  accompanied  us,  intending  to  remain  with  us — 
Mr.  Gould  proposing  to  travel  in  Europe  for  his  health. 
Quite  a  number  of  friends  were  with  us  the  next  morn- 
ing, and  parted  from  us  at  the  ship's  side.  The  gun 
fired,  the  paddles  moved,  and  we  were  away.  Had  I 


390     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

known  all  that  was  awaiting  me  on  the  other  side,  I 
think  ray  heart  would  have  failed  me ;  and  it  is  well 
we  know  not  what  is  before  us,  so  that,  by  faith  we 
may  live  day  by  day,  realizing  the  promises — "As  thy 
day  is,  so  shall  thy  strength  be;"  and,  "My  grace  is 
sufficient  for  thee." 


CHAPTER  XXVH. 

Reasons  for  Inserting  the  Trial — The  "Dead  Letter" — State  of  Feel- 
ing regarding  it — Comments  of  <  the  Press — Arrival  in  England — • 
Queen  Street  Hall — Continued  Attacks. 

I  WOULD  fain  bury  in  oblivion  the  record  of  the 
controversy  that  grew  out  of  my  letter  written  in 
March,  but  it  would  not  be  just  to  myself,  and  I  know 
I  should  lay  myself  open  to  the  charge  (which  would 
most  assuredly  be  made)  of  keeping  back,  or  cover- 
ing up  the  proceedings  which  were  so  painful  to  me 
and  to  others,  and  .therefore  I  have  decided  to  give  a 
clear,  and  truthful  narrative  of  the  whole  matter, 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  so  far  as  I  was  con- 
cerned ;  though  the  end  is  not  yet,  in  the  estranged 
friendships  and  the  bitter  feeling  that  exist  in  many 
minds. 

I  shall  insert  nothing  but  what  is  necessary  to  a 
clear  understanding  of  the  true  history  of  the  case. 
Many  of  my  friends  even,  have  but  a  vague  idea  of 
the  transactions  growing  out  of  the  misunderstand- 
ing; whether  wilful  or  not,  on  the  part  of  others,  those 
who  read  must  judge.  I  judge  no  man,  but  simply 
state  facts,  for  which  I  have  in  my  possession  docu- 
ments that  cannot  be  gainsayed. 

It  will  be  necessary  to  introduce  names,  as  the  nar- 
rative cannot  be  made  so  clear  by  withholding  them ; 
and  though  I  have  no  desire  to  give  offense,  justice 


392  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    JOHN   B.  GOUGII. 

to  myself  demands  that  I  shall  omit  nothing  that  may 
help  to  a  clear  understanding  of  the  whole  history. 

On  March  28th,  as  J  have  stated,  I  wrote  to  G.  C. 
Campbell,  an  intimate  friend  of  mine,  a  letter,  in 
which,  after  speaking  of  some  personal  matters,  I 
said: 

The  cause  in  this  country  is  in  a  depressed  state ;  the  Maine  Law  is 
a  dead  letter  everywhere, — more  liquor  sold  than  I  ever  knew  before, 
in  Massachusetts, — and  in  other  States  it  is  about  as  bad.  Were  it  not 
that  I  feel  desirous  of  laboring  with  you  again,  I  should  be  inclined  to 
ask  for  the  loan  of  another  year  to  labor  here.  I  never  had  so  many 
and  so  earnest  applications  for  labor,  and  the  field  is  truly  ready, — not 
for  the  sickle,  but  for  steady,  persevering  tillage ;  but  we  shall  leave 
our  dear  home  in  July,  with  the  expectation  of  laboring  with  you,  as 
far  as  health  and  strength  will  permit,  for  the  next  three  years 

I  see  Neal  Dow  is  to  be  in  England.  I  am  glad.  You  will  all 
like  him;  he  is  a  noble  man — a  faithful  worker.  He  can  tell  better 
than  any  other  man,  the  state  of  the  Maine  Law  movement  here,  and 
the  cause  of  the  universal  failure  of  the  law  to  produce  the  desired 
results. 

I  also  wrote  a  letter  to  Scotland,  bespeaking  for  the 
author  of  the  Maine  Law  a  hearty  welcome,  and  cordial 
cooperation.  The  "dead  letter,"  as  it  was  termed,  was 
written  to  a  friend,  with  no  intention  that  it  should 
be  published.  In  it  I  gave  some  reasons  for  the 
state  of  things  here,  and  expressly  said  that  the  polit- 
ical combinations  affecting  us,  would  not  be  a  hind- 
rance to  them,  I  knew.  The  people  of  England  were 
aware  that  the  Maine  Law  was  not  on  the  statute  book 
of  the  State  of  Maine,  having  been  repealed,  and  a 
license  law  substituted,  much  to  my  regret ;  yet  I  was 
convinced  that  the  law  would  be  reenacted,  and  prob- 
ably made  even  more  stringent,  by  the  next  Legisla- 
ture. I  had,  from  the  beginning,  advocated  a  pro- 
hibitory law.  I  was  engaged  expressly  in  ,Connec- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     393 

ticut  for  that  purpose,  previous  to  their  election,  and 
I  worked  faithfully  to  that  end, — the  enactment  of 
the  law. 

I  do  not  profess  to  be  able  to  grasp  the  legal  and 
political  question  with  the  facility  that  many  men 
possess.  I  suppose  I  lack  the  logical  power;  at  least 
it  is  said  that  I  do — and  if  God  has  not  seen  fit  to 
bestow  on  me  this  faculty,  I  must  try  to  use  the  pow- 
ers He  has  given  me,  and  do  the  best  I  can.  Thifc  I 
have  tried  conscientiously  to  do. 

In  conversation  with  a  supposed  friend,  I  said  in 
reference  to  Mr.  Dow's  visit  to  England:  "I  am  sorry 
he  is  going  this  year,  for  I  earnestly  desire  that  his 
work  there  may  be  successful,  and  the  English  critics 
who  are  opposed  to  the  law,  will  say  he  has  come  to 
represent  a  failure;  for  the  law  is  not  now  on  the 
statute  books  of  his  own  State.  If  he  would  wait 
till  it  shall  be  re-enacted  with  more  stringent  provis- 
ions, as  it  is  sure  to  be,  then,  on  the  wave  of  a  glori- 
ous success,  his  mission  there  will  be  doubly  effective 
in  aiding  the  friends  toward  the  establishment  of  a 
law  for  Great  Britain."  This  was  the  only  time  I 
used  any  word  intimating  that  the  law  was  a  failure, 
and  by  a  little  twisting  it  was  made  to  tell  against 
me.  I  had  used  the  expression,  "failure  of  the  law 
to  produce  desired  results."  When  I  wrote  the  "dead 
letter"  I  had  been  making  observations  and  inquiries, 
and  held  in  my  possession  official  documents  from  as- 
sociations, deploring  the  depressed  state  of  the  tem- 
perance cause  generally, — partly,  as  I  believe,  owing 
to  the  neglect  of  the  purely  moral  means  that  had 
been  employed  for  so  many  years  with  great  success. 
There  were  certainly  fewer  temperance  meetings — 


394     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

the  pledge  was  very  much  discarded — and  the  tem- 
perance sentiment  was  not  so  vigorous  as  formerly. 

But  after  all,  whether  the  letter  was  published  or 
not,  the  statement  was  a  matter  purely  of  opinion, 
and  could  be  met  by  counter-evidence.  I  had  no 
wish  to  maintain  the  assertion  as  a  positive  fact,  in 
the  face  of  contrary  evidence.  It  was  my.  opinion, 
expressed  not  without  what  I  considered  good  evi- 
de"nce  of  its  truth.  I  thought  nothing  more  of  the 
letter.  I  wrote  to  Mr.  Dow,  expressing  an  earnest 
desire  'to  see  him  before  he  left — to  which  he  replied 
very  cordially  and  kindly.  The  "  Weekly  Record," 
published  in  London — as  I  then  supposed,  the  organ 
of  the  League — came  to  me  with  the  extracts  from  my 
letter  published,  and  the  notice  that  "  The  following 
extracts  from  a  letter  received  by  G.  C.  Campbell 
from  Mr.  Gough,  will  be  read  with  pleasure  by  all 
our  readers."  When  my  wife  showed  me  the  article, 
I  said :  "  I  am  sorry  they  published  that ;  I  can  see 
now  how  it  may  make  trouble ;  but  I  hope  it  will 
not."  This  was  the  first  dawn  of  an  idea  in  my 
mind,  that  anything  unpleasant  could  grow  out  of 
that  letter.  It  produced  a  state  of  feeling  towards 
me  personally,  that  was  surprising  and  unexpected. 
I  would  gladly  have  aided  any  investigation  tending 
to  show  that  I  Had  mistaken,  or  even  exaggerated  in 
any  point ;  but  the  course  pursued  by  those  who  felt 
themselves  aggrieved,  completely  prevented  my  doing 
anything  but  collect  evidence  that  I  was  not  alone  in 
my  opinions  of  the  state  of  the  cause. 

"The  Alliance  Weekly  News,"  the  organ  of  the 
prohibitionists  in  Great  Britain,  in  the  first  article 
stated :  "  This  is  not  the  first  fit  of  unreasonable  depres- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     395 

sion  with  which  Mr.  Gough  has  been  affected — his 
temperament  unfortunately  allows  him  at  times  to 
take  gloomy  views  of  affairs  ;"  and  that,  "the  state- 
ment of  Mr.  Gough  is  not  worthy  of  notice." 

The  secretary  of  the  Alliance,  in  a  letter  to  the 
"Christian  News,"  says:  "The  most  active  and  ad- 
vanced supporters  of  the  Maine  Law,  in  this  country 
and  America,  were  never  fully  convinced  that  Mr. 
Gough  was  a  genuine  and  faithful  adherent  of  the 
principle  and  policy  of  prohibition."  And  again: 
"No  one — not  even  Mr.  Gough — really  believes  the 
statement  he  has  made,  for  fortunately  it  is  so  mon- 
strously absurd,  that  no  one  can  believe  it,  even  when 
they  try  to  make  others  swallow  the  camel.  The  facts 
of  the  case  have  been  too  extensively  published,  and 
the  evidence  proving  the  enforcement,  and  the  suc- 
cess of  the  law,  is  so  accessible  to  all  intelligent  per- 
sons who  do  not  shut  their  eyes  and  ears — that  the 
fable  sent  over  by  Mr.  Gough  must  soon  be  fully  ex- 
posed and  laughed  to  scorn." 

And  in  a  letter  to  the  Glasgow  "Commonwealth," 
the  same  writer  says:  "Mr.  Gough  is  engaged  by 
these  parties  [the  League]  to  visit  England  and  Scot- 
land for  three  years,  and  in  writing  to  his  patrons,  he 
perhaps  sympathized  too  much  with  them  in  the  dif- 
ficulty and  doubt  they  were  subject  to  in  regard  to 
the  peculiar  phase  of  the  temperance  movement  now 
being  actually  brought  out  by  the  prohibitionists  of 
England."  And  again:  "Mr.  Gough's  assertions,  on 
the  very  face  of  them,  are  destitute  of  credible  char- 
acteristics— are  sweeping  and  reckless  exaggerations." 
And  then  remarks  very  charitably:  "All  his  friends 
know  that  he  is  subject  to  fits  of  severe  mental  de- 
25 


396     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

pression — in  short,  he  has  not  so  fully  recovered  from 
the  effects  of  stimulants,  as  to  escape  from  the  pecu- 
liar malady  commonly  called  the  'blues.'"  The  last 
sentence  is  in  italics. 

My  friends  replied  to  some  of  these  articles,  the 
controversy  ran  high,  and  bitter  feeling  *was  mani- 
fested. The  Secretary  of  the  Alliance  said  in  a  letter 
to  the  "  Commonwealth,"  "  In  matters  of  ordinary 
and  reliable  character,  involving  precision  of  state- 
ment and  accuracy  of  information,  Mr.  Gough  must 
not  be  taken  as  an  authority ;  such  things  are  out  of 
his  line  altogether." 

The  "  Christian  News,"  which  became  for  three  years 
the  vehicle  of  abuse  so  vile  that  no  other  paper  would 
publish  it,  contained  the  following — after  copying  a 
resolution  passed  at  my  farewell  meeting  in  Philadel- 
phia: "Six  thousand  pounds  for  three  years,  and  drink- 
ing nothing  but  water ! — This  is  temperance  extrava- 
gance surely.  No  wonder  Mr.  Gough  can  prepare 
'lofty  flights  of  eloquence'  for  such  payments.  He 
evidently  knows  the  gauge  of  John  Bull,  and  it  is  not 
the  first  time  he  has  'creeshed  his  loofs  with  Mr. 
Sawney.'  He  will  return,  laughing  in  his  sleeve,  to 
the  land  of  Yankee  Doodle,  and  he  may  there  revel 
about  the  Maine  Law  as  he  pleases,  since  he  has  re- 
covered his  goodiamus,"  &c.  This,  from  a  paper  that 
had  been  almost  fulsome  in  its  eulogies  on  me  during 
my  first  visit,  and  now  changed  by  my  expression  of 
opinion. 

Dr.  Lees,  in  introducing  Mr.  Dow  to  an  audience,  as 
quoted  from  the  "Nottingham  Review,"  said:  "The 
statement  had  no  authority  and  could  have  no  au- 
thority, for,  at  the  time  of  writing, — and  he  need  not 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     397 

say  by  whom  it  was  written, — (Mr.  Gough,)  it  must 
have  been  written  by  an  individual  who,  at  the  time 
of  writing,  did  not  understand  what  he  was  saying." 
And:  "There  was  not  the  slightest  ground  for  the 
fallacy,  the  calumny,  the  blundering  assertion,  that 
the  principle  of  prohibition  had  failed.  But  what 
would  have  been  the  consequence  if  the  Duke  of 
Wellington,  when  Messina  pressed  him  back  upon  the 
lines  of  Torres  Vedras,  had  given  up  the  campaign  ? 
Or  suppose  some  traitor  had  then  written  home  from 
the  camp,  that  the  war  was  a  failure — what  would  the 
Duke  have  done  to  that  traitor,  etc?" 

The  papers  containing  these,  and  many  more  as- 
sertions and  attacks  of  like  character,  reached  me 
here.  On  receiving  them,  I  set  to  work  to  ascertain, 
as  fairly  and  truly  as  I  could,  the  exact  state  of  affairs 
in  reference  to  the  working  of  the  law.  I  sent  over 
eight  hundred  circulars  to  the  most  prominent  men 
of  the  movement, — I  mean  the  working  men, — and 
received  more  than  seven  hundred  replies,  all,  or 
nearly  all,  confirming  me  in  my  expressed  opinion, 
that  "the  cause  was  in  a  depressed  state,"  and  that 
the  Maine  Law  was  "failing  to  produce  the  desired 
results." 

To  be  sure,  the  liquor  traffic  was  checked  in  some 
degree  by  it;  but  not  more  at  the  time  of  writing, 
than  was  effected  by  the  laws  we  had,  before  the  in- 
troduction of  the  so-called  Maine  Law.  For  years 
there  were  no  licenses  granted  in  any  county  in  Mas- 
sachusetts excepting  one. 

The  "  Springfield  Eepublican"  of  July,  1857,  in.an 
article  on  "The  Temperance  Question,"  says:  "We 
have  got  the  Maine  Liquor  Law  here  in  Springfield, 


398     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

and  with  it  unrestricted  dram-selling."  The  same 
paper  of  the  date  July  7,  in  an  article  headed  "In- 
temperance in  Springfield,"  says:  "We  do  not  say 
that  all  the  people  of  Springfield  were  drunk  on  the 
Fourth,  but  we  do  say  that  the  people  of  Springfield 
must  be  held  responsible  for  all  the  drunkenness  that 
occurred  here  last  Saturday.  It  was  the  testimony 
of  those  who  were  around,  that  they  had  never  seen 
a  day  in  the  town  on  which  more  liquor  was  con- 
sumed. Men  under  the  influence  of  liquor  could  be 
seen  almost  everywhere.  The  drunkard  crop  is  get- 
ting rather  large  for  a  town  of  this  size." 

I  found  many  articles  in  our  papers  containing 
statements  in  reference  to  the  non-enforcement  of  the 
law,  and  I  considered  that  the  testimony  I  had  col- 
lected did  not  warrant  me  in  the  declaration  that  I 
had  either  mistaken  or  overstated  the  facts  in  my 
letter  or  would  apologize  for  the  course  I  had  taken. 

I  left  home  with  a  large  number  of  documents,  in- 
tending to  use  them  on  my  arrival  in  England,  to 
show  that  there  were  good  men  and  true  in  this  coun- 
try who  agreed  with  me  in  my  expressed  opinion. 

On  our  arrival  at  Liverpool  on  Sunday,  July  26th, 
we  were  met  by  a  large  party  of  friends,  and  took 
lodgings  at  Brown's  Hotel.  The  next  day  a  meeting 
was  held  in  the  Queen  Street  Hall,  Dr.  Eden  presiding, 
at  which  addresses  were  presented  to  me  by  the  "  Na- 
tional Temperance  League,"  "  Scottish  Temperance 
League,"  and  "Liverpool  League."  To  these  I  re- 
plied, and  then  in  a  speech  of  nearly  three  hours  de- 
fined my  position;  told  them  I  never  said  the  Law 
was  a  failure — that  if  enforced  it  would  shut  up  every 
liquor  shop  in  the  land — that  the  letter  was  written 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     399 

hastily,  and  not  intended  for  publication — that  on  re- 
ceiving the  articles  condemning  my  statement  as 
false,  I  endeavored  to  ascertain  as  far  as  I  could  the 
state  of  the  cause  at  the  time  I  wrote  the  letter,  and 
presented  to  them  the  documents  I  had  received,  in 
answer  to  the  circular  which  I  had  sent  to  prominent 
men  in  the  movement,  with  a  resolution  passed  by 
the  Massachusetts  "State  Temperance  Society."  I 
also  protested  against  the  vituperation  and  abuse  I 
had  received  for  an  expression  of  opinion,  and  that 
after  a  fair  and  thorough  investigation,  I  could  not 
stultify  myself  by  stating  that  I  did  not  know  what  I 
was  about  when  I  wrote,  and  that  the  only  modifica- 
tion I  could  make  was  to  insert  the  word  "  generally" 
— the  Maine  Law  is  generally  a  dead  letter  every- 
where— that  I  only  alluded  to  the  state  of  the  cause 
at  the  time  when  I  wrote  the  letter,  not  at  any  time 
past,  before,  or  since.  After  some  discussion,  a  reso- 
lution was  passed  expressing  satisfaction  with  my 
statement,  and  carried  with  only  two  dissenting  votes. 

I  left  this  meeting  with  an  earnest  hope  that  I 
should  be  permitted,  without  annoyance,  to  continue 
my  work,  but  I  soon  received  letters, — some  of  them 
insolently  calling  for  replies  to  questions,  and  demand- 
ing that  I  should  stultify  myself  by  an  admission  that 
my  statement  was  false.  I  received  a  letter  from  Dr. 
F.  R.  Lees,  asking  if  I  had  accused  him  of  calumniat- 
ing me  in  his  introduction  of  Neal  Dow,  in  my  speech 
at  Liverpool;  I  replied,  that  I  had  not  used  his  name 
— this  he  heralded  as  an  apology  from  me. 

On  Tuesday  morning  we  left  Liverpool  for  London, 
and  at  once  proceeded  to  our  old  quarters,  32  Norfolk 
Street,  Strand, — and  as  I  do  not  deem  it  desirable  to 


400     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

interrupt  the  history  of  the  conflict  growing  out  of 
the  "dead  letter,"  I  shall  follow  it  to  its  close  at  the 
Court  of  Exchequer,  in  London,  in  1858. 

Continued  attacks  were  made  on  me,  in  the  "Chris- 
tian News/'  the  organ  of  the  Alliance  for  Scotland, 
and  the  *  Alliance  Weekly  News,"  its  organ  for  Eng- 
land. "While  lecturing  at  Cupar  Fife  in  Scotland,  I 
received  a  communication  from  Wm.  Wilson  of  Sher- 
wood Hall,  stating  that  he  had  received  a  letter  from 
a  person  whose  name  he  withheld,  charging  me  with 
committing  very  serious  offenses.  A  long  correspond- 
ence ensued,  during  which  I  demanded  the  author's 
name,  but  did  not  obtain  it  until  some  time  after,  and 
then  found  it  was  Dr.  Lees. 

An  article  had  appeared  in  the  "Edinburgh  News" 
reflecting  severely  on  Mr.  Peter  Sinclair,  who  was 
then  in  this  country,  and  though  I  had  no  reason  to 
love  Mr.  Sinclair,  for  the  part  he  had  taken  against 
me  here,  yet  I  had  no  agency  whatever  in  the  pro- 
duction of  that  article,  and  addressed,  I  believe,  but 
two  of  the  papers  containing  it,  to  personal  friends  at 
home.  That  issue  of  the  paper  also  contained  a  very 
kind  and  generous  notice  of  my  meetings  in  Edin- 
burgh, which  I  was  desirous  my  friends  should  see. 
Mrs.  Gough  did  not  direct  one  of  them.  Dr.  Lees  as- 
sumed, with  no  reason,  that  I  had,  and  made  that  the 
ostensible  cause  for  attacking  me.  The  report  of  the 
trial  will  give  the  main  charges  made  by  him  against 
me ;  they  were  so  direct  and  outrageous,  that,  after 
long  and  deliberate  consultation  with  friends,  it  was 
deemed  advisable  that  legal  proceedings  should  be  in- 
stituted against  him.  The  case  was  placed  in  the 
hands  of  Mr.  William  Shaen  of  London,  as  solicitor. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     401 

The  proceedings  commenced,  and  in  addition  to  mj 
heavy  work,  I  was  involved  in  the  unpleasant  and 
annoying  complications  of  a  suit  at  law,  for  libel. 

I  have  before  rne  the  letters  and  circulars  sent  out 
by  Lees,  and  those  who  helped  him,  and  at  this  dis- 
tance of  time,  they  cause  my  cheek  to  burn,  and  my 
nerves  to  tingle.  Letters  were  sent  to  persons  who 
entertained  me,  asking  if  they  discovered  anything 
suspicious  in  my  demeanor, — whether  anything  was 
found  in  my  room  that  could  be  used  against  me ; 
also  inquiring  if  they  discovered,  or  suspected  that  I 
took  anything  improperly;  in  fact,  I  was  placed  un- 
der surveillance,  and  watched  narrowly.  Some  per- 
sons whom  I  knew  well,  were  busy  on  this  side  of 
the  water,  and  everything  that  had  been  published 
against  me  here,  was  republished  there.  The  occur- 
rences of  1845  were  opened  up  again,  and  every 
statement  against  me  put  into  pamphlet  form,  and 
circulated;  they  were  even  given  to  my  audiences  as 
they  entered  the  lecture  room.  A  pamphlet  written 
by  a  Mr.  Snelling  of  Boston,  whom  I  had  helped 
when  in  trouble,  entitled  "Goughiana" — a  thing  so 
vile,  that  as  it  dropped  from  his  pen,  it  fell  dead  from 
its  own  corruption — a  thing  that  no  respectable  paper 
alluded  to  here — was  sent  over  to  England,  and  the 
galvanized  corpse  of  the  most  abominable  slander 
ever  perpetrated  against  any  human  being,  was  pa- 
raded in  pamphlet  form.  A  London  paper  contained 
the  following:  "'Goughiana.'  A  scurrilous  and  libel- 
lous pamphlet  bearing  the  above  title,  purporting  to 
have  been  printed  in  America,  has  been  sent  to  a 
number  of  influential  teetotalers,  through  the  post 
within  the  last  fortnight,  in  envelopes  addressed  by 


402     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

t)r.  F.  R.  Lees.  It  has  evidently  been  sent  to  the 
newspapers,  as  we  see  the  following  in  an  editorial 
notice  in  the  'Newcastle  Guardian/ — 'Goughiana  is 
a  libelous  production  evidently  prompted  by  malice 
and  intended  to  cause  pain  and  dissension.'" 

The  "poor  Yankee"  must  be  destroyed.  My  solic- 
itor endeavored,  in  order  to  bring  the  matter  out  on 
its  own  merits,  and  to  clear  it  of  any  appearance  of 
an  action  for  damages,  to  obtain  criminal  information 
against  Dr.  Lees,  in  which  we  failed.  Lord  Campbell 
said:  "I  have  no  doubt  that  Mr.  Gough  is  a  respect- 
able gentleman,  and  a  sincere  apostle  of  temperance, 
and  that  he  sets  a  good  example  of  the  precepts  that 
he  holds  out,  but  I  do  not  think  this  is  a  case  in  which 
we  ought  to  interfere  by  a  criminal  information."  This 
rejoiced  my  opponents  greatly,  and  as  we  were  de- 
termined to  push  the  matter,  to  proof,  or  retraction, 
we  concluded  that  the  case  should  be  tried  in  the 
Court  of  Exchequer.  Then  while  Lees  was  circulat- 
ing everything  he  could  lay  hold  of, — old  slanders, 
statements  proved  to  be  false,  the  opposing  parties 
proposed  arbitration, — all  my  friends  decided  that 
while  these  slanderous  statements  were  circulated  so 
freely,  there  could  be  no  successful  arbitration, — that 
his  accusations  must  be  withdrawn,  or  proved  before 
a  jury,  as  he  challenged  me  to  the  trial.  As  I  have 
occupied  more  space  than  I  intended,  I  will  pass  on 
to  the  trial.  I  have  before  me  eighty-six  letters  writ' 
ten  in  reference  to  the  controversy.  "Gough  versus 
Lees"  heading  article  after  article  in  the  newspapers. 
My  friends  in  America  sent  a  document  in  my  favor, 
which  was  published ;  it  was  treated  with  contempt, 
and  those  who  signed  it  styled  the  "clerical  dead  let- 


AUTOBIOGKAPHT  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     403 

ter  defenders."  Then  one  of  the  most  generous  testi- 
monials ever  written  was  sent  to  me  signed  by  five 
hundred  of  the  best  men  in  the  country — governors, 
presidents  of  colleges,  members  of  Congress,  minis- 
ters of  the  gospel,  headed  by  the  venerable  Dr.  Ly- 
man  Beecher,  and  followed  by  Henry  Ward  Beecher, 
and  all  his  brothers  but  one — Mr.  Delavan — editors 
of  newspapers,  and  other  gentlemen  of  the  highest 
respectability ;  but  nothing  could  stop  the  steady  tide 
of  abuse;  papers  were  started  for  the  purpose,  and 
lecturers  took  the  field  to  "expose  me."  The  "Chris- 
tian News"  especially  made  itself  prominent  in  pub- 
lishing everything  that  was  slanderous.  A  defense 
fund  for  Dr.  Lees  was  started,  and  a  proposal  made 
to  raise  one  thousand  pounds  for  him,  and  he  being 
backed  up  by  a  powerful  organization,  on  his  own 
ground,  and  among  his  own  friends,  what  was  the 
"Yankee  "to  do? 

True,  I  had  hosts  of  friends,  and  no  respectable  pa- 
per, except  the  temperance  papers  in  the  interests  of 
the  Alliance,  published  aught  against  me.  It  was  a 
terrible  ordeal ;  they  intended  that  I  should  suffer, 
and  I  did ;  and,  if  it  is  any  consolation  for  them  to* 
know  that  they  caused  me  and  mine  such  pain  as  I 
would  not  inflict  on  the  meanest  of  Grod's  creatures,  I 
give  them  the  information  here.  Still,  through  all 
this  I  did  not  miss  an  appointment,  but  kept  steadily 
at  work  till  the  trial  came  on.  In  the  meantime, 
an  application  had  been  made  on  behalf  of  Lees,  at 
Judges'  Chambers,  before  Baron  Martin,  to  show  cause 
why  a  commission  should  not  issue  for  the  examina- 
tion of  witnesses  in  Scotland,  and  elsewhere  in  Great 
Britain,  in  behalf  of  the  defendant  upon  interrogate- 


404  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF   JOHtf   B.  GOUGH. 

ries ;  and  why,  in  the  meantime,  and  until  the  return 
of  the  commission,  all  further  proceedings  should  not 
be  stayed.  Baron  Martin  had  no  difficulty  in  refusing 
the  application.  He  had  never  heard  of  any  such  at- 
tempt being  made  to  obtain  a  roving  commission  to 
collect  evidence  in  support  of  a  libel.  The  defendant 
ought  to  have  provided  himself  with  evidence  before 
he  libelled  the  plaintiff!  Four  more  days  were  given 
to  plead.  Afterwards  the  defendant  made  his  fourth 
application  to  the  court  for  more  time,  which  was 
granted. 


CHAPTER  XXVIH. 


Trial  in  the  Libel  Case — Court  of  Exchequer — "  Gough  versus  Lees." 

THE  TRIAL. 

Co  CRT  OF  EXCHEQUER,  WESTMINSTER,  Monday,  June  21,  1858. 
(Before  Baron  Martin  and  a  Special  Jury.) 


JOHN  BARTHOLOMEW  GOUGH, 

Plaintiff. 

PLAINTIFF'S  COUNSEL. 

Edwin  James,  Q.  C. 
James  P.  Wilde,  A.  C. 
J.  R.  Quain,  LL.B. 

PLAINTIFF'S  ATTORNEYS. 
Messrs.  Shaen  and  Roscoe. 


FREDERICK  RICH.  LEES, 
Ph.  D.,  of  Gessin,  Defendant. 

DEFENDANT'S  COUNSEL. 

K.  Macaulay,  Q.  C. 
T.  W.  Phipson. 
W.  Field. 

DEFENDANT'S  ATTORNEYS. 

Messrs.  Hilleard,  Dale  and 
Stretton,  for  Mr.  James 
Stubbin,  Birmingham. 

Mr.  Quain  having  opened  the  pleadings,  Mr.  Edwin 
James  said : 

May  it  please  your  lordship,  gentlemen  of  the  jury,  as  counsel  for 
the  plaintiff  I  shall  have  to  bespeak  your  very  serious  attention  to  the 
details  of  this  case ;  because,  although  there  may  be,  upon  the  first 
blush  of  it,  something  which  probably  may  be  calculated  to  excite  a 
smile,  the  matter  which  is  before  you  for  your  decision  is  of  vital  im- 
portance to  the  character,  and  I  may  say  to  the  very  existence  of  Mr. 
Gough.  Gentlemen,  Mr.  John  Bartholomew  Gough  is  a  gentleman 
who  has  acquired,  I  think  I  may  say,  a  world- wide  reputation  as  a  lec- 
turer in  a  very  great  movement,  which  has  attracted  very  great  atten- 
tion in  America  and  in  England, — a  movement  called  the  "  Temperance 
League," — and  he  complains  of  libels  written  against  him  by  the  de- 
fendant, which  go,  as  you  will  learn  by-and-bye,  when  the  libels  are 
read,  to  impute  to  him  a  series  of  misconduct,  which,  perhaps,  when 


406     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

applied  to  another  person,  might  almost  have  been  passed  as  beneath 
notice  and  treated  with  contempt;  but  when  directed  by  the  defend- 
ant against  the  character  of  Mr.  Gough,  for  the  express  purpose,  as  I 
shall  show  you,  of  utterly  injuring  and  destroying  him,  becomes  a  mat- 
ter in  which,  I  am  bound  to  assert,  your  attention  will  be  kindly  be- 
stowed on  his  behalf,  his  character  being  involved  in  the  inquiry;  and 
that  attention,  I  am  bound  to  say,  will  not  be  ill-paid  or  ill  bestowed. 

Gentlemen,  it  is  necessary,  in  order  to  make  the  series  of  most  ma- 
lignant libels,  which  I  shall  show  you  were  written  by  the  defendant, 
intelligible  to  you,  that  I  should  state  to  you,  and  it  shall  be  shortly, 
an  outline  of  the  case,  which  will  convince  you  of  the  motive  which  the 
defendant  had  in  directing  those  libels  against  Mr.  Goush.  Gentle- 
men, Mr.  Gough,  the  plaintiff,  is  the  son,  I  believe,  of  a  common  sol- 
dier, who  was  in  the  English  army,  and  was  born  at  Sandgate,  in  Kent. 
His  mother  was  a  woman  of  very  superior  character,  and  a  highly  in- 
telligent person,  and  bestowed  the  best  education  she  could  on  her  son. 
Mr.  Gough  was  sent  very  early  in  life  to  America,  and  I  believe,  in 
New  York,  for  many  years,  pursued  the  business  of  a  book-binder. 
He  improved  himself,  and  is  a  person,  as  you  will  see  by-and-bye,  and 
probably  you  know,  of  very  considerable  self-education.  I  may  say, he 
is  a  person  of  most  extraordinary  eloquence.  I  do  not  know  whether 
I  am  addressing  any  gentlemen  who  have  heard  those  lectures  which 
he  has  delivered ;  but  there  cannot  be  any  question,  that  they  are  the 
efforts  of  a  most  eloquent  man,  who  has  devoted  himself  sincerely  and 
truthfully  to  the  cause  of  temperance  which  he  has  espoused.  He  be- 
came addicted  early  in  life  to  habits  of  intemperance;  but  in  1842, 
when  in  America,  he  was  reclaimed  from  those  habits,  and  at  that  date  he 
signed  a  pledge,  and  formed  a  habit  of  attending  temperance  meetings; 
because  I  believe  the  temperance  movement  originated  and  became 
widely  extended  in  America  before  it  reached  England,  where,  however 
people  may  smile  at  it,  it  has  produced  among  the  working  classes,  and 
the  lower  orders  of  the  country,  the  most  signal  advantages.  It 
spread,  and  assumed  a  celebrity  and  position  in  America,  which  were 
afterwards  communicated  to  England,  where  the  results  of  it,  I  repeat, 
have  been  most  advantageous,  more  especially  to  the  working  classes. 
He  commenced  lecturing  and  attending  the  meetings  of  these  societies, 
and  his  lectures  justly  met  with  so  much  success  in  America  that  he 
devoted  the  whole  object  of  his  life  to  his  lectures  on  this  temperance 
question.  In  the  year  1853,  he  was  brought  to  England,  and  during 
the  years  1853,  1854,  and  1855,  he  was  lecturing  in  England,  having 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     407 

been  engaged  at  that  time  by  the  Temperance  League, — an  association 
of  highly  respectable  gentlemen,  some  of  whose  names,  I  dare  say, 
when  we  hear  them,  will  be  known  to  all  of  us — to  lecture  in  thia 
country. 

Now,  gentlemen,  in  order  to  make  this  matter  intelligible  to  you,  I 
must  explain  to  you  that  in  America  a  law,  which  is  very  well  known 
here  now,  by  the  name  of  the  Maine  Liquor  Law,  was  originally  passed 
by  the  State  of  Maine,  in  America.  That  law,  you  are  aware,  was  a 
law  for  the  entire  suppression  and  absolute  prohibition  of  traffic  in  in- 
toxicating drinks,  was  adopted  by  seven  of  the  United  States  in  America, 
first  led  by  the  State  of  Maine,  from  which  it  takes  its  name.  The 
proposal  of  that  principle  reached  England,  and  a  society  was  formed, 
adopting  and  advocating  the  principle  of  total  suppression  by  legal  en- 
actment of  the  traffic  in  intoxicating  drinks,  whiqh  called  itself,  in  Eng- 
land and  Scotland,  the  United  Kingdom  Alliance.  Those  in  whose 
behalf  Mr.  Gough  was  lecturing — the  London,  now  the  National  Tem- 
perance League — did  not  go  so  far  as  advocating  a  total  prohibition  of 
the  traffic  by  any  legislative  enactment ;  they  left  it,  therefore,  to  the 
moral  persuasion  of  the  people,  improving  them  by  intelligence  and  by 
education;  and  they  took  the  view  that,  as  it  has  been  very  truly  said, 
you  cannot  succeed  in  making  people  religious  by  act  of  Parliament, 
neither  can  you  probably  succeed  in  making  men  temperate  by  act  of 
Parliament.  These  two  parties,  therefore,  were  constituted.  This  is 
essential  to  an  understanding  of  the  libels  which  Dr.  Lees  has  thought 
proper  to  direct  against  Mr.  Gough ;  because  they  originated,  as  you 
will  see,  without  the  slightest  cause  of  offense  given  on  Mr.  Gough's 
part  to  Dr.  Lees.  . 

Dr.  Lees  is  also  a  lecturer,  and  he  became  a  very  strong  supporter 
of  the  United  Kingdom  Alliance,  or  the  total  prohibitionists,  as  against 
Mr.  Gough  and  the  society,  and  the  interest  he  advocates,  for  inculcat- 
ing by  moral  persuasion  upon  the  people,  and,  as  I  said  before,  by 
educating  them  and  appealing  to  their  sense  of  proper  feeling,  the 
habits  of  temperance,  as  against  intoxication,  in  the  lower  orders. 

These  two  bodies,  therefore  existed;  Dr.  Lees  became  a  lecturer  of 
the  prohibitionists,  or  the  United  Kingdom  Alliance ;  Mr.  Gough  re- 
mained earning,  as  you  will  hear,  a  very  ample  income,  for  I  believe 
you  will  hear  by-and-bye,  that  he  procured  enormous  funds  by  his  lec- 
tures,— which  may  be  smiled  at,  but  if  any  person  present  were  to 
hear  them,  they  would  be  very  much  edified, — those  lectures  being  of 
the  highest  degree  of  eloquence,  at  all  events  of  platform  eloquence. 


408     AUTOBIOGEAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

Mr.  Gough  then  continued  lecturing  on  behalf  of  the  National  Tem- 
perance League ;  Dr.  Lees  adopting  the  principle  of  the  prohibitionists, 
or  the  advocacy  of  the  Maine  Liquor  Law  in  this  country.  Mr.  Gough 
lectured  in  England, — I  think  he  lectured  at  Exeter  Hall  some  sixty  or 
seventy  times, — and  it  appeared  that  some  gentleman,  called  the  Hon. 
Neal  Dow,  a  native  of  America,  was  about  to  visit  England  in  1857, 
and  that  it  was  some  letter  which  Mr.  Gough  wrote,  a  paragraph  of 
which  appeared  in  the  Times  newspaper,  in  reference  to  his  visit,  as  far 
as  we  can  by  any  possibility  trace,  that  was  the  cause  and  the  origin  of 
this  attack  by  Dr.  Lees  upon  him. 

Mr.  Neal  Dow  had  been  the  originator,  or  the  author,  in  America  of 
the  Maine  Liquor  Law,  and  Mr.  Gough  was  in  America  at  the  time  the 
visit  to  England  of  Mr.  Neal  Dow  was  contemplated ;  and  this  letter 
was  written  from  America  by  Mr.  Gough  to  a  Mr.  Campbell.  Mr. 
Gough  is  writing  from  America,  where  he  is  lecturing,  and  he  is  mak- 
ing a  remark,  most  innocently  and  most  properly,  upon  the  effect  of  the 
Maine  Liquor  Law  in  America  to  a  friend  of  his. 

Here  Mr.  James  read  the  "  dead  letter,"  and  re- 
sumed: 

Now  that  was  a  letter — without  containing  an  attack  upon  any  person, 
without  saying  anything  in  the  least  degree  derogatory  of  the  body  of 
gentleman  who  were  advocating  the  Maine  Liquor  Law  here — convey- 
ing a  mere  expression  of  opinion  as  to  what  Mr.  Gough  had  found  in 
America  to  be  the  state  of  the  law.  .... 

That,  I  believe,  is  the  origin  of  this  attack ;  and  I  challenge  my 
friend,  by-and-bye,  to  prove  any  act  or  statement  of  Mr.  Gough  that  will 
account  in  the  least  degree  for  these  libels  which  Dr.  Lees  sat  down 
and  penned  against  him,  and  which  you  may  imagine  have  been  of  the 
most  serious  consequence,  when  I  tell  you  that  Mr.  Gough's  lectures 
produced  to  him  nearly  two  thousand  pounds  a  year ;  that  he  has  real- 
ized enormous  funds  for  the  societies;  and  that  he  is  a  most  popular 
lecturer,  received,  as  I  will  show  you,  in  various  districts  of  England 
by  gentlemen  of  the  highest  position. 

Dr.  Lees  is  a  gentleman  who  resides,  I  believe,  at  Meanwood,  near 
Leeds ;  he  is  a  very  able  controversialist,  and  has  the  pen,  certainly, 
of  a  ready  writer;  and  he  sat  down  and  addressed  the  libels  which  I 
will  now  read  to  you,  to  Mr.  Wilson,  a  gentleman  of  very  large  fortune, 
residing  near  Nottingham,  who  has  espoused  the  temperance  cause,  and 
done,  I  believe,  vast  good  in  the  town  of  Nottingham  and  the  neighbor- 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     409 

hood  where  he  resides,  by  inculcating  in  the  minds  of  the  lower  orders 
habits  of  temperance  and  abstinence  from  intoxication. 

Gentlemen,  I  will  read  to  you  these  letters  which  Dr.  Lees  thought 
proper  to  write,  and  which  form  the  libels  that  are  complained  of  in  this 
declaration,  and  explain  them  as  I  go  on.  They  are  four.  The  first  let- 
ter is  dated  "  Christmas,  1857."  I  will  hand  to  my  lord  presently,  which 
may  assist  my  lord,  underscored  in  red  ink,  that  portion  of  the  libels 
which  they  justify.  They  have  left  a  very  large  portion,  as  you  will  see 
by-and-bye,  utterly  unjustified,  and  Dr.  Lees  must,  in  the  mouth  of  his 
counsel,  admit  that  he  is  utterly  unable  to  justify  them,  and  that  he  has 
not  a  shadow  of  foundation  for  the  libels  that  are  charged  against  him. 

"A  happy  new  year  to  you  all  at  Sherwood.  I  have  just  returned 
from  Scotland,  where  I  have  met  with  several  persons  who  can  speak  to 
a  fact  of  which  I  was  previously  cognizant,  that  your  friend  St.  Bar- 
tholomew"  

It  is  a  slighting  way  of  speaking  of  Mr.  Gough ;  his  name  is  Bar- 
tholomew, and  Dr.  Lees  calls  him — of  course  in  a  slighting,  offensive 
way — "St.  Bartholomew." 

"Your  friend,  St.  Bartholomew,  has  often  been  seen  narcotically and 
helplessly  intoxicated.  I  should  have  announced  that  fact  before,  of 
which  I  have  distinct  proof,  but  out  of  fear  of  injuring  the  cause,  and 
out  of  pity  for  the  saint  himself,  I  forbore,  on  receipt  of  his  apology. 
But  he  has  been  sinning  worse  than  before,  and  his  correspondence  with 
Mr.  Dexter,  whom  I  have  already  exposed  across  the  water,  and  shall 
still  further,  appears  in  the  monstrous  lies  against  the  Alliance  in  a 
leading  article  of  a  Boston  paper,  now  before  me,  (I  post  you  extracts). 
His  demoniac  persecution  of  Sinclair  is  astounding — I  will  not  say  not 
Christian,  but  perfectly  infernal.  A  friend  at  Edinburgh,  who  was 
present,  told  me  and  Pope  all  about  it,  and  Mrs.  Gough  sent  the  pa- 
pers !  This  is  conduct  more  like  fiends  than  men,  and  if  those  people 
will  fight  with  such  unholy  weapons,  they  cannot  hope  that  we  will  re- 
main forever  silent.  I  will  not,  and  if  Mr.  Dexter  is  not  instructed  to 
recall  his  article  and  apologize  for  it,  and  to  make  the  amende  to  poor 
Sinclair,  my  next  letter  to  the  States  shall  contain  all  the  information  I 
possess  anent  St.  Bartholomew  himself,  whom  I  believe  to  be  " 

This  is  not  justified,  nor  any  part  of  it 

"  as  rank  a  hypocrite  and  as  wicked  a  man"  as  breathes  in  the  Queen's 
dominions — infinitely  less  genuine  than  Sinclair  himself.     If  you  have 


410     AUTOBIOGEAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

any  influence  with  these  people  you  will  consider  whether  you  ought  to 
use  it ;  but  I  assure  you  that  if  the  author  of  the  new  mischief  does 
not  supply  me  speedily  with  a  contradiction  of  his  friend  Dexter's  state- 
ment, and  of  regret  concerning  Sinclair  (for  Mr.  Hope  and  others  char- 
acterize his  libel  as  monstrous  and  unwarranted  by  facts),  I  will  not  al- 
low the  man  and  his  family  to  be  sacrificed  by  my  silence  to  the  de- 
vices of  a  wicked  vengeance,  and  therefore  give  you  a  fair  warning.  I 
hope  you  will  feel  as  much  interested  in  the  claims  of  justice  (as  re- 
gards the  Alliance  and  Sinclair)  as  you  felt  anxiety  about  your  protege. 
Yours  truly,  F.  R.  LEES." 

In  that  there  is  not,  as  I  will  show  you,  a  syllable  of  truth, — not  a 
syllable.  Mr.  Gough  will  be  called  as  a  witness;  he  had  nothing  what- 
ever to  do  with  any  attacks,  and  more  than  that,  I  believe  you  will  be 
satisfied  that  Dr.  Lees  well  knew  this  when  he  sat  down  and  penned 
these  libels. 

"  P.  S.  I  do  not  want  to  trouble  you  with  any  correspondence,  or 
any  one  else.  My  ultimatum  is  simply  this  from  the  guilty  party : — 

"1.  A  simple  repudiation  of  Dexter's  portrait  and  proceedings  of 
the  Alliance,  as  inaccurate. 

"2.  An  expression  of  pleasure  at  learning  that  parties  authorized  to 
know,  regard  the  charges  against  Mr.  Sinclair  as  unwarranted. 

"If  I  have  these  under  his  hand  within  a  week,  disclosure  will  not 
take  place  without  further  provocation ;  if  not,  it  will,  for  justice  shall 
be  done,  even  if  the  temperance  heavens  fall." 

He  quotes,  as  you  know,  "Fiat  justitia  ruat  cselum,"  applied,  as  Dr. 
Lees  applies  it,  to  the  temperance  question. 

Gentlemen,  you  will  see  that  it  is  a  threat  of  exposure, — a  statement 
that  Dr.  Lees  has  something  to  expose  to  the  public  against  the  char- 
acter of  Mr.  Gough.  Here  is  a  reference  to  a  matter  jn  which  really 
Mr.  Gough  had  no  interest,  had  not  taken  part,  had  made  no  attack  ; 
but  Dr.  Lees  chooses,  by  a  threat  to  an  intimate  friend  of  his,  Mr. 
Wilson,  whose  acquaintance  was  of  value,  of  course,  as  a  gentleman  of 
position  to  Mr.  Gough,  "  If  I  have  under  bis  hand  within  a  week,  the 
disclosure  shall  not  take  place  without  further  provocation." 

This  is  not  pretended  to  be,  because  it  could  not  be  for  the  benefit  of 
any  society  here,  but  a  threat  that  if  Mr.  Gough  did  not  do  a  thing 
which  he  could  not  do, — for  he  had  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  it, — 
further  disclosures  would  take  place. 

Mr.  Lees  is  here,  and  will  show  by  his  examination  that  there  is  not 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     411 

a  shadow  or  pretense  of  a  foundation  for  those  disclosures.  This  is  the 
first  letter  Mr.  Lees  thought  proper  to  indite  to  Mr.  Wilson.  The  next 
letter  is  dated, — 

"MEANWOOD,  January  3,  1858. 

"My  dear  Mr.  Wilson, — The  whole  affair  about  Dexter,  who  is 
Gough's  bosom  friend,  you  will  learn  from  a  perusal  of  the  enclosed 
printed  letter,  which  has  been  sent  across  the  water,  in  reply  to  an 
application  as  to  the  truth  of  Dexter 's  leader  from  the  '  Massachusetts 
State  Temperance  Society.' 

"  This  letter  will  (provisionally)  be  followed  by  anothter  anent  the 
personal  matter  regarding  St.  Bartholomew.  Of  course  we  have  noth- 
ing to  do  with  Mr.  Dexter,  who  is  merely  the  tool  of  Mr.  (rough, — the 
'  leader '  being  that  person's  letter  reflected.  Hence,  I  want  Mr. 
Gough's  repudiation  of  his  friend's  '  portrait '  of  the  Alliance,  simply  to 
put  the  finishing  stroke  to  the  reputation,  and  I  propose  this  as  the 
condition  of  withholding  the  portrait  of  St.  Bartholomew." 

There  is  another  threat—"  from  the  press." 

There  is  a  threat  which  Dr.  Lees  held  out,  that  he  was  in  possession 
of  certain  information,  and  a  statement  that  he  will  withdraw  that  from 
the  press  on  condition  of  Mr.  Gough  undoing  that  which  he  had  really 
not  done  at  all;  for  you  will  hear  by-and  bye  that  he  was  really  no 
party  whatever  to  the  matter  respecting  which  the  suggestion  has  been 
made. 

"I  had  fancied  that  you  were  still  in  active  correspondence  with  Mr. 
Gough,  hence  I  wrote  you  so  that  you  might  give  your  friends  '  fair 
warning,'  and  allow  them  an  opportunity  of  averting  my  disclosures. 
You  can  understand  my  feelings,  when,  for  many  motives  I  held  my 
tongue  for  above  a  year ;  and  God  knows  how  hard  I  feel  it  to  be  com- 
pelled to  speak  out  now,  if  I  must  indeed.  But  certainly  I  cannot 
(out  of  regard  to  my  own  or  other  people's  feelings)  allow  this  course 
of  things  to  go  on,  and  a  new  obstacle  be  raised  up  to  that  noble  man, 
Dow.  I  cannot  allow  our  friends  to  be  crushed  in  this  demoniac 
fashion.  Of  course  you  know  that  Mr.  P.  Sinclair  would  have  an  ac- 
tion of  libel  against  the  '  Edinburgh  News '  if  he  lived  here ;  and  so, 
were  I  to  state  all  I  knew,  and  give  the  names  of  the  parties  impeached, 
I  should  be  liable,  and  tho  greater  the  truth  the  greater  the  libel.  I 
shall  so  state  the  facts  as  to  avoid  this,  and  I  give  a  challenge  to  the 
parties  aggrieved,  therefore,  'ask  me  for  the  truth,  gentlemen,  and  I'll 
provide  you  with  the  evidence  in  reply  to  your  request.' 
26 


412     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

"If  they  are  anxious  to  do  so,  they  can  do  so;  the  matter  concerns 
the  guilty  or  the  innocent  rather  than  me. 

"As  to  my  information,  you  have  rightly  opined  that  it  is  conclusive 
to  myself.  I  have  no  more  doubt  about  it  than  of  my  present  fact  of 
writing.  Mr.  Pope  does  not  know  what  I  am  doing;  but  write  him, 
and  ask  if  he  has  not  heard  (from  once  warm  admirers  of  St.  Barthol- 
omew) and  from  many  in  conjunction,  the  most  conclusive  testimony. 

"The  'saint'  has  been  often  intoxicated  with  drugs — (twice  to  my 
own  certain  knowledge) — once  insensibly  so,  in  the  streets  of  London ; 
many  times  to  Glasgow  until  he  was  helpless.  I  have  seen  many  per- 
sons who  have  assured  me  of  this." 

This  part,  my  lord  will  see,  is  justified. 

"And  last  week  Graham  of  the  London  Hotel  told  us  that  Mr.  Gavin 
asked  him,  under  penalty  of  prosecution,  if  he  declined  to  sign  a  paper 
of  retractation  (denying  what  he  had  seen),  and  of  course  he  refused. 
No  action  of  libel  has  been  taken.  No  fear  about  these  '  people '  want- 
ing inquiry;  and  these  things  are  only  types  of  other  un-Christian  and 
false  proceedings.  Strong  as  my  own  feelings  are,  still  I  will  '  precipi- 
tate '  nothing,  and  my  second  letter  will  not  be  sent  to  America  for  a 
week  or  ten  days.  In  haste,  yours  truly,  F.  R.  LEES." 

That  is  another  threat  to  Mr.  Wilson  that  he  would  send  a  letter  to 
America,  and  publish  to  the  world  that  which  he  says  here  he  knows. 

We  shall  challenge  Dr.  Lees  to  come  into  the  witness  box,  and  we 
shall  see  whether  he  dares  to  swear  what  he  knows  of  his  own  knowl- 
edge, and  can  produce  any  other  witness  to  support  the  facts  and  the 
libels  that  he  alleges  against  Mr.  Gough. 

The  third  letter,  gentlemen,  is  dated  the  7th  of  January : — 

"  My  dear  Mr.  Wilson, — I  should  have  replied  to  yours  yesterday, 
had  I  not  been  very  sick.  I  have  been  attending  mechanics'  co-opera- 
tive and  temperance  soire'es  and  lectures  so  much  that  I  suppose  the 
bilious  ducts  have  got  wrong,  and  I  am  paying  the  penalty.  I  am  bet- 
ter to-day,  and  a  very  heavy  snow  has  fallen,  and  I  cannot  get  a  copy 
of  the  printed  letter  until  I  go  to  town.  I  do  not  agree  with  you  in 
thinking  that  it  is  our  duty  to  enter  upon  a  crusade  against  individual 
hypocrisy  or  inconsistency.  My  notion  is  that  we  should  speak  out  the 
truth  in  such*cases  only  when  it  will  do  service — i.  e. — either  prevent 
evil  or  produce  good.  I  don't  want  to  hunt  down  Sinclair's  persecutor, 
as  he  has  tried  to  hunt  down  poor  Sinclair;  but  I  want  to  compel  by 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     413 

fear  of  exposure  the  '  hunter '  to  undo  the  mischief  as  far  as  possible. 
If  he  won't,  then,  of  course,  justice  demands  the  procedure  I  shall  adopt. 
"If  I  am  mistaken,  so  much  the  better  for  him,  and  so  much  the 
worse  for  me.  You  will  see  that  I  have  a  practical  purpose  in  view,  and 
I  cannot  consent  to  go  further  into  the  other  matter,  until  the  person 
concerned  shall  authorize  me  to  do  so.  When  I  obtain  a  request  and  a 
guarantee,  I  can  then  obtain  the  evidence  for  you ;  but  until  then,  it  is 
confined  to  myself,  Pope,  and  a  few  others.  If  any  gentleman  will 
guarantee  me  against  the  costs  of  an  action  for  libel,  which  was  threat- 
ened by  '  S.  B.'  in  London,  as  condition  that  I  prove  its  truth,  I  will 
print  what  I  know  with  names  in  full." 

Here  is  a  man  who  says,  as  you  will  see  by  and  by,  that  he  will  print 
a  libel  provided  he  can  get  any  one  to  guarantee  him  against  the  pecu- 
niary consequences  of  doing  so ;  and  when  I  put  in  the  correspondence 
of  Mr.  Wilson,  and  the  letters  that  he  wrote,  in  answer  to  those  calum- 
nious attacks  on  Mr.  Gough — I  will  not  read  them  at  the  outset — you 
will  see  the  cowardice  with  which  Dr.  Lees  has  acted  from  beginning 
to  end. 

When  he  was  taxed,  when  Mr.  Wilson  said,  "You  made  all  these 
attacks;"  he  said,  *'No;"  he  shrank  from  it  then,  and  positively  in 
some  of  the  letters  repeats  the  very  libels  over  again,  though  he  shrank 
from  them  and  said  that  he  made  no  charge.  Now  he  says  that  if  any- 
body will  guarantee  him  against  the  pecuniary  consequences,  then  he 
will  go  on  and  libel  Mr.  Gough  just  as  long  as,  and  in  any  manner  he 
pleases. 

"If  they  don't  it  is  because  they  dare  not. 

"I  can  solemnly  affirm,  for  one,  that  unless  I  don't  know  what  drug- 
ging is,  I  have  seen  the  saint  intoxicated." 

That  is  justified  by  Dr.  Lees;  but  we  challenge  him  to  come  into  the 
box  to  prove  it. 

"For  your  further  satisfaction,  however,  I  have  written  to  the  wit- 
nesses to  ask  if  they  will  write  what  they  speak,  and  must  again  speak 
if  called  upon  before  a  jury.  We  shall  see.  It  can  scarcely  be  ex- 
pected, however,  that  they  will  invite  an  action  for  libel  which  has  been 
threatened,  though  they  are  willing  in  private  conversation  to  testify  to 
what  may  be  seen.  Our  poor'S.  B.'  is  not  the  only  person  in  the 
world  who  makes  large  pretensions,  and  lives  with  unfitting  illustrations. 


414     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

I  know  eminent  and  eloquent  men  in  the  church,  whose  lives  are  very 
low  and  base.     Our  Cagliostro" 

I  suppose  he  compares  him  to  the  celebrated  Count  Cagliostro,  and 
seems  to  indicate  that  he  is  a  juggler  and  a  trickster. 

"Our  Cagliostro  is  not  so  much  to  blame  as  the  world  that  will  be 
humbugged;  and  I  shall  not,  therefore,  regard  it  as  my  duty  to  spe- 
cially expose  him,  unless  it  is  needful,  to  any  practical  purpose  of  sav- 
ing Sinclair's  usefulness,  and  gagging  the  unscrupulous  foes  of  the 
Alliance.  Yours  truly,  F.  R.  LEES." 

A  pretty  letter  certainly,  to  write  to  a  man  to  whom  he  indicates  a 
threat  that  if  Mr.  Gough  does  not  withdraw  that  which  he  had  posi- 
tively never  done  at  all,  he  would  visit  him  with  an  exposure  which,  as 
you  will  understand,  to  a  gentleman  of  Mr.  (rough's  position  is  utterly 
destructive,  not  only  of  his  character,  but  of  his  very  existence. 

Gentlemen,  the  last  letter  which  I  will  trouble  you  with  is  this : — 

"Dear  Sir, — Am  very  bad  to-day  with  bile,  and  write  in  haste  and 
pain.  My  letter  of  yesterday  would  answer  some  of  your  queries,  and 
the  enclosed  will  answer  others.  I  have  written  to  Marr" 

Mr.  Marr  is  the  Secretary  of  the  Scottish  League. 

"I  have  written  to  Marr  direct,  asking  for  disclaimer,  and  if  I  don't 
get  it,  I  shall  publish  the  enclosed  in  the  American  papers. 
"Ask  Mr.  Beggs  about  that  London  business." 

That  is,  the  intoxication  which  he  ventured  to  state  that  he  could 
prove  himself,  that  Mr.  Gough  was  insensibly  intoxicated  in  the  streets 
of  London. 

"Ask  Mr.  Beggs  about  that  London  business — he  knows  of  it, 
though  he  was  not  my  informant — and  Tweedie  won't  deny  it,  but  only 
try  to  explain  it.  Yours  truly,  F.  R.  LEES." 

Enclosed  is  this  printed  paper,  to  which  I  will  now  direct  your  at- 
tention. He  enclosed  in  his  letter  to  Mr.  Wilson  this  piece  of  printed 
paper,  in  three  strips: 

"I  mean  that  he  is  often  intoxicated,  not  with  alcohol,  but  with  other 
narcotics.  I  do  not  tell  you  of  what  I  have  heard,  and  which  for  long 
I  have  straggled  to  disbelieve;  but  of  what  I  know. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     415 

"  I  have  seen  your  informant,  unless  I  am  greatly  mistaken  as  to  who 
he  is,  clearly  intoxicated  with  some  drug,  and  seen  it  more  than  once. 
I  know  also  that  he  used  to  consume  tobacco  by  chewing;  for  he  once 
consulted  me  on  the  matter,  partly  to  throw  me  off  the  true  scent. 

"I  know  a  score  of  persons  who  have  seen  him  in  the  same  condition, 
— some  who  have  seen  him  helplessly,  almost  idiotically  intoxicated.  I 
know  others  who  have  seen  him  insensible  in  the  streets  of  London. 

"Nervous  apoplexy,  called!  vomiting  of  matter,  and  so  on,  were 
among  the  symptoms;  and  I  can,  if  necessary,  tell  you  some  shops 
where  your  informant  bought  opium." 

Now,  I  will  prove  to  you  that  Mr.  Gough  never  bought  an  ounce  of 
opium  in  his  life ;  that  this  is,  therefore,  a  most  wicked,  deliberate  false- 
hood; and  we  challenge  Dr.  Lees  to  go  into  the  box  himself,  or  call 
any  human  being  to  prove  it.  We  will  call  Mr.  Gough,  and 'persons 
who  have  been  about  him,  and  intimate  friends;  and  he  will  tell  you 
upon  his  solemn  oath  he  never  bought  a  grain,  or  an  ounce,  or  a  parti- 
cle of  opium  in  his  life.  Dr.  Lees,  however,  says : 

"I  can  tell  you  some  shops  where  he  bought  opium.  I  do  not  care  to 
tell  you  of  his  prevarication,  of  his  mercenariness,  his  meanness,  and 
his  sponging, — of  his  fondness  for  visiting  styes  and  low  localities, — for 
the  tastes  of  a  life-time  cannot  be  got  rid  of,  or  the  marks  of  the  beast 
be  easily  eradicated.  But  of.  all  these,  I  have  a  long,  authenticated 
catalogue,  gathered  in  various  parts  of  the  kingdom ;  but  I  give  this 
challenge." 

This  challenge  which  he  gives,  Mr.  Gough  accepts,  and  we  shall  see 
by  and  by,  how  Dr.  Lees  will  come  out  of  this  challenge. 

"Let  the  calumniator  of  the  Alliance,  your  informant  and  portrait- 
sketcher,  ask  me  in  this  country,  for  the  proof ;  let  him  request  me  to 
bring  the  matter  before  a  jury  of  twelve  Englishmen  of  character,  and 
I  pledge  myself,  on  the  honor  of  a  gentleman,  and  the  faith  of  a  Chris- 
tian, to  furnish  names,  and  adduce  further  evidence  of  what  I  have  now 
asserted.  One  of  my  witnesses  and  informants,  was  asked  to  recant 
some  time  ago,  to  sign  a  paper  expressing  bis  regret  at  stating  that  he 
had  seen  what  he  had  seen.  Prosecution  was  threatened  if  he  did  not; 
he  declined,  as  every  honest  man  would  do,  and  he  has  not  been 
prosecuted." 

And  this  is  the  document  which  was  sent  to  Mr.  Wilson,  and  which 
was  threatened  to  be  put  into  an  American  paper,  to  be  circulated  in 


416  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF   JOHN"   B.  GOUGII. 

every  portion  of  the  States  where  Mr.  Gough  had  acquired  a  very  due 
celebrity,  and  was  treated  with  honor  and  kindness. 

Gentlemen,  this  is  the  outline  of  the  case.  There  is  another  letter; 
at  the  outset  I  do  not  wish  to  weary  you  with  every  letter  and  every 
detail;  you  will  have  the  opportunity  of  fully  examining  them;  but 
this  is  the  general  outline  of  the  case.  We  will  prove  it,  as  I  stated, 
by  calling  Mr.  Gough  and  other  witnesses  by-and-bye,  when  the  ques- 
tion arises,  and  we  see  the  sort  of  defense  which  Dr.  Lees  will  attempt 
to  set  up.  The  question  of  damages  will  be  a  question  for  considera- 
tion hereafter ;  but  this  is  the  general  outline  of  the  case,  which,  on  the 
part  of  Mr.  Gough,  I  propose  to  lay  before  you. 

MR.   JOHN  BARTHOLOMEW   GOUGH. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Wilde : 

I  believe  you  are  now  a  lecturer  on  temperance,  residing  at  4  South 
Parade,  Brompton?  lam. 

In  the  earlier  part  of  your  life,  I  believe,  you  followed  the  trade  of 
a  book-binder?  I  did. 

Was  that  in  England,  or  in  the  United  States?    IH  the  United  States. 

How  old  are  you?     Forty-one  next  August. 

I  believe  you  resided  all  the  earlier  portion  of  your  life  in  the  United 
States?  I  left  this  country  at  twelve  years  of  age. 

And  resided  in  the  United  States?     Until  1853. 

At  the  time  when  you  followed  the  business  of  a  book-binder,  I  be- 
lieve, you  had  become  addicted  more  or  less  to  intemperate  habits?  I 
had. 

And  suffered  very  much  from  it?     I  did. 

But  in  1842,  I  believe,  you  were  fortunate  enough  to  have  taken  the 
pledge?  I  signed  the  pledge  the  last  Monday  night  in  October,  1842, 
and  violated  that  pledge  in  the  beginning  of  1843. 

Baron  Martin:  Was  this  Father  Mathew's  pledge?     No. 

Mr.  Wilde:  You  took  the  pledge  in  1842?     I  did. 

Mr.  James :  Just  attend  to  the  questions. 

Mr.  Wilde:  When. did  you  first  become  a  lecturer  on  temperance? 
In  1843. 

Were  your  lectures  delivered  in  different  parts  of  America?     Yes. 

I  believe  your  name  became  known  pretty  well  in  the  United  States, 
did  it  not?  I  think  so. 

I  am  told  you  have  traveled  something  like  ten  thousand  miles  a 
year,  lecturing?  Nearly  that. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     417 

In  1845,  I  believe,  you  had  a  short  illness?     Yes. 

From  that  time  down  to  the  present  have  you  been  gaining  your 
livelihood  as  a  lecturer  on  temperance?  I  have. 

In  1853,  you  first  came  to  England  for  a  short  time?     In  1853, 

And  I  believe  you  were  then  engaged  by  the  London  Temperance 
League?  I  was. 

Their  office  is  in  the  Strand,  I  believe?    It  is. 

Did  you  also  enter  into  an  engagement  with  the  Scottish  Temperance 
League?  I  did  for  a  short  time. 

They  are  established  at  Glasgow?     At  Glasgow. 

While  you  were  lecturing  for  these  two  Leagues,  about  how  often 
did  you  lecture  ?  I  have  my  record  here ;  I  could  tell  precisely. 

But  I  only  want  to  know  in  a  very  general  way.  Would  you  be 
every  day  lecturing?  I  think  in  the  two  years  I  delivered /our  hun- 
dred and  thirteen,  or  from  that  to  four  hundred  and  twenty  lectures. 

And  to  immense  audiences,  I  believe?     Large. 

I  should  hot  be  wrong  in  saying  that  very  many  thousands  attended 
sometimes  ?  Yes. 

And  your  livelihood  consists  in  the  remuneration  that  you  receive 
from  these  Leagues,  by  employing  your  abilities  in  this  way?  Entirely. 

How  much  a  year  do  you  receive  for  lecturing?  I  am  not  paid  bj 
the  year;  but  by  the  single  lecture.  If  I  do  nothing  I  am  paid  nothing. 

What  are  you  paid  by  the  lecture?  The  National  League,  and  the 
Scottish  League  also,  pay  me  ten  guineas  per  lecture. 

And  you  deliver  something  like  two  hundred  in  the  year?     I  do. 

We  can  form  an  estimate  then.  I  suppose  the  admissions  to  hear 
your  lectures  are  not  gratuitous?  No. 

Therefore,  you  have  brought  funds  —  considerable  funds — to  the 
societies  by  your  lectures,  have  you  not  ?  I  think  I  have. 

Have  you  also  written  and  published?  Mr.  Tweedie  has  published 
for  me. 

How  are  those  funds  obtained?  By  those  admissions?  By  annual 
subscriptions,  donations,  legacies. 

And  by  the  profits  of  the  lectures?  The  Leagues  do  not  receive,  if 
I  understand  it,  the  profits  of  my  lectures ;  they  are  given  to  the  indi- 
vidual societies  who  employ  me. 

What  I  wanted  to  know  was,  what  becomes  of  the  surplus  of  the 
money,  beyond  what  they  pay  you?  It  is  given  to  the  society  which 
procures  my  services  from  the  Leagues. 

Do  they  expend  it  in  publications?     As  they  please. 


418     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

These  societies  do  publish  largely,  do  they  not?  They  do  not  pub- 
lish, but  they  purchase  publications  from  head-quarters. 

And  distribute  them?     And  distribute  them. 

The  object,  I  believe,  of  both  these  societies  is  to  endeavor  to  eradi- 
cate drunkenness  by  means  of  persuasion  ?  Persuasion  and  prohibition. 

But  first  and  chief,  persuasion?     First  and  chief,  persuasion. 

Mr.  Wilde :  Persuasion  until  society  is  sufficiently  ripe  for  prohibi- 
tion? 

Baron  Martin :  You  are  going  very  far  from  it;  we  are  trying  a  libel. 

Mr.  James :  We  must  make  it  intelligible. 

Mr.  Wilde :  The  object  of  these  societies  lies  at  the  bottom  of  the  li- 
bel, therefore  I  wanted  it  understood  at  the  outset. 

First,  persuasion;  and  then  afterwards  as  a  result  prohibition,  possi- 
bly? Yes. 

Is  there  also  another  society  called  the  United  Kingdom  Alliance? 
There  is. 

Is  the  defendant,  Dr.  Lees,  a  lecturer  on  behalf  of  that  society?  I 
believe  he  is  so  published  by  their  papers. 

But  he  is  a  lecturer?     A  lecturer. 

Does  that  society  profess  to  enforce  the  cure  of  drunkenness  by  per- 
suasion, or  by  prohibitive  means?  Their  great  object  is  to  obtain  a 
Maine  Law.  Their  title  or  their  motto  is,  "Total  and  immediate  pro- 
hibition." 

By  law?     Yes. 

In  March,  1857,  were  you  in  Boylston,  in  the  State  of  Massachu- 
setts? I  cannot  tell  unless  I  see  my  book. 

Well,  if  you  have  got  your  book  here,  I  dare  say  we  shall  want  it 
for  some  other  purpose;  but  no  doubt  you  recollect  enough  for  my  pur- 
pose. In  the  spring  of  1857  you  wrote  a  letter  from  Massachusetts? 
I  did. 

To  a  Mr.  Campbell?     Yes. 

Before  you  wrote  that  letter  had  you  an  opportunity  of  seeing  to 
what  extent  the  Maine  Liquor  Law  was  successful?  I  thought  I  had. 

And  did  you  write  about  that  time  a  letter  to  Mr.  Campbell?    I  did. 

On  the  subject  of  the  Maine  Liquor  Law?     I  did. 

And  did  you  afterwards  see  that  letter  in  print?     Yes. 

Did  Mr.  Campbell  himself  print  it?  It  was  printed  in  the  Weekly 
Record. 

Had  you  anything  to  do  with  the  printing  of  it?  No;  that  wa« 
done  by  Mr.  Campbell. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     419 

Was  it  printed  by  your  suggestion?     No. 

Was  that  the  letter  in  which  you  used  the  expression  that  the  Maine 
Liquor  Law  had  become  a  dead  letter?  It  was. 

Mr.  Macaulay :  Read  it  all. 

Mr.  Wilde :  I  will  do  so  with  pleasure.  Just  see  whether  this  para- 
graph applies  to  it. 

Here  Mr.  Wilde  read  the  "dead  letter"  and  re- 
sumed : 

Previous  to  your  writing  that  letter  I  presume  you  had  heard  of  Neal 
Dow  going  to  England?  Yes. 

Neal  Dow  is  the  advocate  of  the  Maine  Law,  I  believe?  He  was 
the  originator  of  it. 

He  was  the  first  advocate  of  it — the  successful  advocate?     Yes. 

Had  you  been  personally  acquainted  with  him  ?     I  had. 

And  had  contracted  a  friendship  with  him,  I  believe?  I  stayed  at 
his  house  when  visiting  Portland. 

In  July,  1857,  I  believe,  you  reached  England?     I  did. 

To  fulfil  an  engagement  which  you  had  entered  into  with  the  Na- 
tional Temperance  League?  Yes. 

Was  that  an  engagement  to  lecture  for  three  years?  Three  years  be- 
tween the  two  Leagues — eight  months  for  England,  and  four  months 
for  Scotland;  eight  months  for  England  in  each  year,  and  four  months 
for  Scotland. 

Upon  the  terms  you  have  mentioned — ten  guineas  a  lecture?  Upon 
those  terms. 

In  the  beginning  of  last  January  were  you  lecturing  at  Cupar,  in 
Fife?  I  was. 

I  believe  you  keep  a  diary,  Mr.  Gough?  I  do,  (referring)  it  was 
in  January,  1858. 

Did  you  there  receive  a  letter  from  Mr.  Wilson?     Yes. 

Let  me  ask  you,  who  was  Mr.  Wilson?  A  gentleman  residing  at 
Sherwood  Hall,  a  friend  of  mine. 

Where  is  that?     Near  Mansfield. 

In  Nottinghamshire?     In  Nottinghamshire. 

Is  he  a  gentleman  of  property?     I  expect  so. 

However,  he  is  living  as  a  gentleman  of  property,  as  an  independ- 
ent gentleman,  at  Sherwobd  Hall?  At  Sherwood  Hall. 

He  takes  a  great  interest  in  this  'movement  of  temperance?  That 
brought  us  together. 


420     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

I  cannot  ask  the  contents  of  that  letter,  but  I  only  want  to  know 
whether  upon  the  receipt  of  that  letter  it  was  the  first  occasion  that  you 
heard  of  insinuations  being  made  against  you  for  opium  eating  or  in- 
toxication? No. 

But  I  mean  the  first  charge  that  had  ever  been  made  against  you? 
The  first  charge  that  I  could  get  hold  of. 

You  had  heard  rumors,  you  say,  before?  I  had  heard  rumors,  and 
treated  them  as  rumors. 

I  suppose,  like  most  public  men,  you  are  not  wholly  without  your 
enemies,  Mr.  Gough?  No. 

On  the  15th  of  January  were  you  informed  by  Mr.  Sinclair  Marr, 
of  Glasgow,  again,  as  to  charges  being  made  against  you?  I  was. 

Mr.  Marr  is  the  secretary  of  one  of  these  Temperance  Leagues? 
The  Scottish  League? 

Had  you  known  him  for  several  years?  I  knew  him  for  about  six 
or  eight  months  when  I  was  in  the  country  before,  and  came  to  labor 
under  the  society  of  which  he  was  the  secretary. 

Did  you  see  Mr.  Marr,  or  hear  from  him?     I  saw  him. 

Did  he  then  hand  you  this  letter? — [the  letter  was  handed  to  the 
witness].  He  read  it  to  the  company  in  my  room,  and  then  handed  it 
round,  that  we  might  all  see  the  signatures, — to  several  gentlemen. 

Although  you  say  you  had  heard  from  Mr.  Wilson  that  there  had 
been  a  specific  charge  made  against  you 

Mr.  Macaulay :  My  lord,  I  do  not  want  to  encumber  the  case  with 
evidence.  Inasmuch  as  the  libel,  so-called,  is  conveyed  in  a  letter  to 
the  plaintiff  by  Mr.  Wilson,  to  whom  it  is  addressed — and  he  says  so — 
if  it  is  convenient  I  should  like  to  see  Mr.  Wilson's  letter,  and  if  you 
will,  take  that  part  of  Mr.  Gough 's  evidence. 

Mr.  Wilde :  By  all  means. 

Mr.  James :  We  are  showing  how  Mr.  Gough  heard  of  it. 

Mr.  Macaulay :  In  the  correspondence  with  Mr.  Wilson  he  gives  no 
evidence  of  its  being  conveyed  to  Mr.  Gough. 

Mr.  James :  1  will  call  Mr.  Wilson. 

Mr.  Macaulay :  But  I  should  like  to  see  this  letter. 

Baron  Martin :  If  this  letter  is  objectionable  in  the  examination 

Mr.  Macaulay:  I  do  not  say  it  is  objectionable. 

Mr.  Wilde :  Then,  if  there  is  nothing  objectionable  in  it,  we  will  go 
on.  Now,  Mr.  Gough,  although  you  had  known  that  there  was  a  charge 
made  against  you,  did  you,  before  Mr.  Marr  showed  you  that  letter, 
know  it  was  the  defendant,  Dr.  Lees,  who 'was  attacking  you? 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF   JOHN   B.  GOTJGH.  421 

I  did  not;  and  did  not  know  then  that  he  was  my  accuser  to  Mr. 
Wilson. 

But  when  you  knew  that,  you  knew  it  was  the  original  letter  of  Dr. 
Lees?  To  Mr.  Marr. 

Mr.  James :  It  was  the  first  time  he  heard  of  it  distinctly. 

Mr.  Wilde:  That  letter,  I  see,  speaks  of  your  eating  opium.  I  may 
at  once  ask  you  whether  you  ever  ate  opium  in  your  life  ?  I  never  did. 

Did  you  ever  buy  opium?     I  never  bought  a  bit  in  my  life. 

Or  chewed  opium?     Never  chewed  a  bit  in  my  life. 

The  whole  thing  is  a  fabrication  with  reference  to  the  opium?  The 
whole  thing  with  reference  to  the  opium  is  a  fabrication. 

Or  any  other  narcotic?  I  am  not  speaking  of  tobacco,  you  know. 

There  is  one  case,  if  you  will  allow  me  to  explain  it,  in  my  early  history, 
which  is  published  in  the  history  of  my  life.  I  was  very  desperate, 
friendless,  and  in  despair,  and  I  very  wickedly  bought  sixpenny  worth 
of  laudanum,  kept  it  in  my  waistcoat  pocket  a  week,  and  one  night 
when  I  felt  great  distress  at  the  utter  impossibility  of  my  ever  rising  in 
life 

Baron  Martin :   We  had  better  not  go  into  that. 

Mr.  Wilde :  I  did  not  wish  to  stop  the  witness. 

The  Witness :  But  I  never  touched  my  tongue  to  it.  That  i?  the 
only  time  in  my  life.  I  should  not  have  mentioned  this,  but  you  asked 
me  "in  my  whole  life." 

That  was  before  you  took  the  pledge,  therefore,  in  1842?  In  1840 
or  1841. 

The  libel  also  speaks  of  your  being  narcotically  and  helplessly  intox- 
icated. Now,  I  must  ask  you  whether,  with  opium,  or  spirits,  or  wine, 
or  fermented  liquors  of  any  sort — I  am  speaking  of  the  period  since  you 
took  the  pledge — since  1843 — you  were  ever  intoxicated,  or  whether 
you  ever  drank  any  intoxicating  liquor  in  your  lips?  Since  1845,  I 
can  take  my  oath  I  never  did. 

Mr.  Macaulay:  Since  when?     Witness:  Since  1845. 

Mr.  Wilde:  Since  1845  you  never  had  spirits,  or  wine,  or  any  fer- 
mented liquor  in  your  lips?  Except  in  1846,  when  it  was  given  me 
as  a  medicine  by  Dr.  Winship  of  Roxbury,  who  gave  it  to  me,  a 
spoonful  at  a  time,  when  I  was  expected  to  die. 

I  see  in  this  libel  there  are  some  charges  spoken  of  as  being  made 
against  the  Alliance  by  a  Mr.  Dexter;  who  is  Mr.  Dexter?  The  editor 
of  "The  Congregationalist"  paper,  <in  Boston. 

It  would  appear  from  the  defendant's  letter  that  some  article  had  ap- 


422     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN"  B.  GOUGH. 

peared  in  that  paper  of  Mr.  Dexter's,  reflecting  on  the  Alliance  soci- 
ety? There  was. 

There  was  such  a  letter?     There  was. 

And  was  there  any  reflection  upon  a  Mr.  Sinclair?  Not  in  that  pa- 
per, I  believe. 

Then  I  will  keep  to  the  one.  Had  you  anything  to  do  with  the  writ- 
ing or  the  publication  of  that  article  ?  Not  anything. 

You  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  writing  or  publication  of  that  arti- 
cle? I  had  nothing  to  do  with  it. 

Did  you  know  of  the  article,  or  of  its  being  written,  before  it  ap- 
peared? I  did  not. 

Did  you  know  of  the  article  after  it  appeared,  before  you  got  this 
letter?  I  saw  it  in  the  paper;  we  take  it,  it  comes  regularly. 

Oh !  you  take  the  paper  ?  But  before  you  took  the  paper,  in  the 
usual  course  of  the  paper  arriving  to  you,  did  you  know  anything  about 
it?  No. 

And  had  no  hand  in  it  whatever?     No. 

Have  you  ever  been  in  correspondence,  directly  or  indirectly,  with 
Mr.  Dexter?  Never. 

Have  you  ever  seen  him?     I  saw  him  once. 

To  speak  to  him?     Once  to  speak  to  him. 

Is  that  all?     The  night  before  I  sailed,  that  is  all. 

Since  you  sailed,  and  since  you  came  over  to  England,  have  you  ever 
been  in  communication  with  him?  Not  at  all. 

With  reference  to  Mr.  Sinclair — he  is  alluded  to,  I  see,  here;  in  what 
paper  was  it  that  any  article  appeared  about  Mr.  Sinclair?  In  the 
"Edinburgh  News." 

Had  you  anything  to  do  with  the  publication  of  that  article?     No. 

Directly  or  indirectly?     Neither  directly  nor  indirectly. 

Do  you  take  the  "  Edinburgh  News?"     No. 

Did  you  see  the  article  after  it  appeared?     I  did. 

Had  you  seen  it  before  you  saw  this  letter  of  Dr.  Lees — the  letter 
in  which  he  speaks  of  it?  Do  you  recollect  whether  you  had  seen  it 
before  that? 

Before  I  had  seen  Dr.  Lees'  letter  to  Mr.  Marr? 

Yes,  before  you  saw  Dr.  Lees'  letter  to  Mr.  Marr?     Yes. 

Did  you  know  anything  of  the  article  before  it  appeared  in  the 
paper?  I  expected  there  would  be  an  article  reflecting  on  Mr.  Sin- 
clair. 

Had  you  anything  to  do  with  it?     No. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     423 

Who  was  Sinclair  ?  He  was  formerly  the  keeper  of  a  temperance 
hotel  in  Edinburgh. 

What  was  he  doing  at  the  time  when  the  article  appeared?  He  was 
in  America. 

What  part  was  he  taking  in  America?  He  was  lecturing  to  children 
on  temperance. 

I  see  that  this  letter,  or  one  of  the  others — it  matters  little  which — 
speaks  of  your  having  been  insensibly  and  otherwise  intoxicated  in  the 
streets  of  London?  Yes. 

Is  there  a  word  of  truth  in  that  accusation?     No. 

Do  you  recollect  the  afternoon  of  the'  23d  March,  1855?  Just 
turn  to  your  diary  and  see  whether  you  were  in  London  at  that  time. 

Baron  Martin;  I  do  agree  with  Mr.  Macaulay  that  it  would  be  more 
convenient  that  the  letter  should  be  read.  Let  them  hear  it,  and  see 
what  it  is. 

Mr.  Wilde :  We  will  put  it  in. 

Mr.  Macaulay :  I  think  the  more  convenient  mode  will  be  to  call  Mr. 
Wilson. 

Baron  Martin :  You  had  better  call  Mr.  Wilson,  then,  and  let  Mr. 
Gough  stand  over ;  it  will  be  more  convenient. 

Mr.  James:  We  will  ask  Mr.  Wilson. 

Baron  Martin :  Mr.  Macaulay  adopts  that  view,  and  Mr.  Macaulay 
has  the  right  of  cross-examining  Mr.  Wilson. 

Mr.  James:   Of  course,  my  lord,  I  shall  not  interfere  with  it. 

Baron  Martin :  The  ordinary  way  in  an  action  for  libel  is  to  prove 
the  libel. 

Mr.  James:   Certainly,  my  lord. 

Mr.  Wilde :  Mr.  Wilson  had  better  be  sworn  and  asked  the  hand- 
writing. 

Baron  Martin :  You  cannot  adopt  that  course  except  Mr.  Macaulay 
wishes.  He  has  a  right  to  put  him  in  the  box  and  cross-examine  him. 

Mr.  James :  We  are  agreeable  to  any  course.  We  are  only  endeav- 
oring to  consult  the  convenience  of  all  parties. 

Baron  Martin :  After  the  positive  statement  of  Mr.  Gough  respecting 
the  imputation  upon  him,  some  satisfactory  arrangement  might  be  made 
with  the  parties  so  as  to  prevent  the  case  going  any  further.  I  suppose 
that  is  his  main  object. 

Mr.  James:  It  is  to  vindicate  his  character,  and  put  an  end  to  these 
scandalous  rumors,  which  are  very  destructive  to  him  in  his  position. 

Mr.  Macaulay :   I  think  my  learned  friend  Mr.  James  and  I  under- 


424     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

stand  one  another,  my  lord.  I  wish  to  say  one  word.  Dr.  Lees,  the 
defendant  here  to  these  libels  contained  in  the  letters  addressed  to  Mr. 
Wilson — (I  wish  my  learned  friend  to  mark  what  I  am  saying,  because 
I  am  not  going  to  trespass  beyond  what  I  may  be  thought  justified  in 
doing) — is  writing,  Mr.  Gough  says,  to  his  own  intimate  friend,  and 
these  letters  to  Mr.  Wilson  are  the  libels  set  forth  by  my  learned  friend. 

Dr.  Lees  states  most  emphatically,  and  with  great  reiteration,  no 
doubt,  that  he  has  this  information,  which  he  entirely  believes,  with  re- 
gard to  certain  habits  of  Mr.  Gough,  which  are  inconsistent  with  his 
public  professions ;  and  the  foundation  of  his  applying  to  Mr.  Wilson, 
is  this: — "I  charge  Mr.  Gough  with  being  the  author  of  a  persecuting 
attack  upon  one  Peter  Sinclair,  who  has  been  ferociously  and  improp- 
erly attacked  in  newspapers,  which  have  been  disseminated  in  America 
to  his  prejudice;  and  from  information  that  I  have,  I  have  ground  to 
believe  that  Mr.  Gough  is  at  the  bottom  of  these  attacks  upon  Mr.  Sin- 
clair. I  tell  you,  not  the  world,  but  I  tell  you,  as  Mr.  Gough's  friend 
that  I  have  this  information  and  belief  with  regard  to  his  habits,  and  I 
wish  you  to  let  Mr.  Gough  know  that  unless  I  procure  a  retractation  of 
the  attacks  upon  Sinclair,  in  whose  defense  I  propose  to  attack  Mr. 
Gough,  I  shall  persist  in  making  those  charges  against  Mr.  Gough." 

That  is  the  substance  of  the  letters  to  Mr.  Wilson,  containing  the 
libel.  Mr.  Wilson,  I  think,  would  appear  to  have  committed  the  error 
of  never  communicating  to  Mr.  Gough  the  true  character  of  the  letter 
from  Dr.  Lees  to  himself;  in  other  words,  Mr.  Gough  never  had  given 
to  him  by  Mr.  Wilson  the  opportunity  of  satisfying  Dr.  Lees,  which  he 
has  had  to-day;  that  he,  Mr.  Gough,  was,  in  point  of  fact,  not  author 
of,  and  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  attacks  on  Peter  Sinclair,  who  was  a 
Scotchman  in  America,  and  engaged  in  this  temperance  question  on  his 
own  account;  or  the  other  attacks  on  the  operations  of  the  Alliance, 
which  Dr.  Lees  attributed  to  Mr.  Gough. 

If  the  communication  had  gone  from  Mr.  Wilson  to  Mr.  Gough  in 
the  sense  and  in  the  terms  in  which  it  went  from  Dr.  Lees  to  Mr.  Wil- 
son, namely,  this, — "  Dr.  Lees  says  you  are  the  author  or  are  privy  to 
such  and  such  attacks  upon  Peter  Sinclair — you,  are  the  author  of  or 
are  privy  to  such  and  such  libelous  attacks  upon  the  directorate  of  the 
Alliance,  and  Dr.  Lees  has  got  these  charges  communicated  to  him 
with  regard  to  you,  which  we  will  press  upon  you  unless  you  retract 
your  attacks  on  Peter  Sinclair."  Mr.  Gough  would  have  had  the  op- 
portunity of  showing,  as  he  has  to-day,  that  he  had  nothing  whatever 
to  do  with  these  publications. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     425 

Now,  my  lord,  Mr.  Gougb  having  stated  that  much,  and  having 
also  gone  on  into  a  matter  into  which  I  have  not,  and  I  am  sure  Dr. 
Lees  has  not,  the  least  wish  to  enter,  or  to  appear  and  bring  forward 
here  as  the  accusers  of  Mr.  Gough — a  function  which  Dr.  Lees  is  not 
desirous  of  performing,  although  he  thought  his  information  warranted 
him  in  his  assertions;  Dr.  Lees,  having  heard  this  disavowal  of  Mr. 
Gough — in  which  he  places  implicit  credit — that  he  had  nothing  .what- 
ever to  do  with  those  grievances  that  set  Dr.  Lees  in  motion  when  cor- 
responding with  Mr.  Wilson, — Dr.  Lees  is  perfectly  prepared  to  retract 
his  justification,  and  by  no  means,  in  retracting  that  justification,  to 
have  it  understood  that  Mr.  Gough,  who  is  not  to  be  cross-examined  J^y 
me,  is  otherwise  than  entirely  to  be  believed  upon  his  oath.  Dr.  Lees 
is  willing  and  anxious  that  this  matter  should  be  shortened. 

Baron  Martin:  There  should  be  a  retractation  of  the  charges  against 
Mr.  Gough  in  the  plainest  possible  terms. 

Mr.  James  :  They  are  utterly  destructive  of  Mr.  Gough's  position. 

Baron  Martin :  I  think  if  a  man  brings  forward  charges  of  this  kind 
against  another,  there  should  be  an  utter  retractation  of  them. 

Mr.  Macaulay  :  It  would  never  appear  that  Dr.  Lees  would  have  dis- 
seminated this  charge,  which  of  course  is  highly  libelous,  in  any  other 
sense  than  as  a  strict  communication  to  a  personal  and  confidential  friend 
of  Mr.  Gough.  It  is  a  fact,  that  the  whole  correspondence  in  which 
those  accusations  occur  had  been  deemed  by  Dr.  Lees  to  be  communi- 
cations to  the  confidential  friend  of  Mr.  Gough. 

Mr.  James:  As  counsel  for  Mr.  Gough,  I  have  nothing  whatever 
to  do  with  any  motives  that  may  have  actuated  Dr.  Lees  in  writing  these 
libels.  If  my  friend  asks  -me  whether  Mr.  Gough  denies  most  explic- 
itly having  been  any  party  to  the  attack  on  Mr.  Sinclair,  Mr.  Gough 
has  denied  it  upon  his  oath.  I  have  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  any 
motives  that  actuated  Dr.  Lees  in  putting  forward  those  libels;  all  I, 
on  the  part  of  Mr.  Gough,  require, — and  I  can  take  no  less, — is 'a 
most  positive  and  absolute  retractation  of  every  one  of  those  charges 
that  have  been  made  against  Mr.  Gough's  character,  which  he  is 
bound  to  vindicate ;  otherwise  the  charges  are  utterly  destructive  of  his 
position. 

Whatever  Dr.  Lees'  motives  may  have  been,  whether  he  chooses  to 
come  forward  in  a  sort  of  Quixotic  style 

Baron  Martin :  As  far  as  the  evidence  has  gone,  the  plaintiff  is  clearly 
entitled  to,  and  can  take  nothing  less  than,  an  ample  retractation. 

Mr.  James :  If  there  is  an  entire  retractation  of  the  charges,  I  shall 


426     AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN"  B.  GOUGH. 

be  perfectly  satisfied  with  it ;  but  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  Dr.  Lees' 
motives. 

Mr.  Macaulay  :  Dr.  Lees  never  had  any  object,  my  lord 

Baron  Martin  :  I  cannot  deal  with  it,  Mr.  Macaulay ;  but  my  own 
notion  is,  that  Mr.  James  takes  a  right  view  of  it.  Nothing  can  justify 
a  man  in  making  these  statements,  unless  upon  the  clearest  sort  of  evi- 
dence, under  any  provocation. 

Mr.  Macaulay :  I  was  very  much  misunderstood,  I  apprehend,  if  I 
gave  it  in  a  smaller  sense  than  that  which  I  should  wish.  To  say  noth- 
ing about  the  intemperate  language,  Dr.  Lees  was  very  much  excited 
about  his  friend  Sinclair ;  but  what  he  advanced  was  upon  information, 
which  information  he  is  not  prepared,  nor  does  he  in  the  least  pretend, 
to  bring  forward  evidence  to  substantiate  before  this  jury. 

Mr.  James  :  My  lord,  that  is  not  sufficient. 

Mr.  Macaulay :  I  must  guard  myself  against  an  admission  that  Dr. 
Lees  wantonly,  or  against  an  honest  conviction  in  his  mind  at  the  time, 
advanced  these  charges  against  Mr.  Gough  maliciously.  I  can  make 
no  such  admission  as  that. 

Mr.  James  :  I  do  not  ask  that,  nor  do  I  require  it.  What  I  require 
is,  that  now,  upon  this  stage  of  the  proceedings,  upon  reflection,  Dr. 
Lees  is  satisfied  that  there  is  no  truth  or  pretence  for  those  charges. 
That  is  what  I  require.  I  require  no  humiliation  from  Dr.  Lees  as  to 
his  motive  at  the  time  when  he  wrote  them.  I  only  want  him  to  come 
into  a  court  of  justice  and  say, — "  On  reflection,  there  is  no  justification 
for  those  charges."  I  should  be  guilty  of  desertion  of  my  client  if  I 
asked  for  less. 

Baron  Martin  :  Just  refer,  Mr.  Macaulay,  to  your  third  plea. 

Mr.  Macaulay :  My  lord,  all  that  Dr.  Lees  can  ever  say  upon  that 
is,  that  the  information  on  which  that  plea  was  founded,  was  the  inform- 
ation of  the  opinion  of  individuals.  After  what  Mr.  Gough  has  said, 
and  said  upon  his  oath — after  that,  therefore,  which  Dr.  Lees  now 
knows,  but  which  he  did  not  know  then,  it  cannot  be  denied ;  and  I 
have  no  hesitation  in  saying,  in  the  most  open  and  abundant  manner, 
Dr.  Lees  did  not  set  up,  and  would  not  in  his  own  mind  set  up,  the 
opinion  of  those  who  merely  spoke  from  observation. 

Baron  Martin  :  I  think  you  had  better  go  on  with  the  case. 

Mr.  James :  There  is  a  portion  of  the  libel  in  which  Dr.  Lees  says  he 
has  seen  the  plaintiff  clearly  intoxicated  with  some  drug,  and  seen  it 
more  than  once. 

Mr.  Wilde :  We  had  better  go  on  with  it. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     427 

Baron  Martin  :  You  had  better  call  and  prove  the  libel  in  the  ordi- 
nary way. 

Mr.  Macaulay :  I  hope  Dr.  Lees  is  not  going  to  suffer  by  my  bun- 
gling expression. 

Baron  Martin  :  He  is  not  suffering  at  all.  We  will  go  through  his 
case,  and  it  shall  be  as  fairly  tried  as  it  can  possibly  be. 

Mr.  Macaulay :  The  admission  was  only  so  phrased  by  me  for  fear 
of  admitting  that  which  I  never  can  admit — that  Dr.  Lees  had  published 
these  things  not  believing  that  they  were  true  when  he  published  them. 
I  never  can  believe  that  Dr.  Lees  published  these  things  to  Mr.  Wilson, 
having  no  belief  of  their  truth  at  the  time  he  published  them.  What  I 
desired  to  do  was,  instead  of  cross-examining  Mr.  Gough,  to  make  a  re- 
tractation of  the  justification — in  other  words  a  retractation  on  Dr. 
Lees'  part  of  the  charges  against  Mr.  Gough,  instead  of  going  into 
any  attempt  to  justify  them ;  and  I  thought  my  learned  friend  and  I 
had  understood  one  another,  and  that  he  was  content. 

Baron  Martin  :  If  Mr.  James  is  content,  I  am  sure  I  am  content. 

Mr.  James :  My  lord,  if  I  am  to  understand  that  the  charges  that 
have  been  made  are  wholly  and  distinctly  withdrawn,  I  am  satisfied. 
It  is  plain  enough. 

Mr.  Macaulay  :  I  thought  I  was  imperfectly  understood. 

Baron  Martin  :  The  fourth  plea  to  the  second  count  of  the  declaration 
states  that  the  defendant  had  seen  the  plaintiff,  himself,  intoxicated  in 
Glasgow.  I  think  you  want  a  distinct  and  plain  retractation  of  that, 
without  any  qualification. 

Mr.  Macaulay  :  It  is  given,  my  lord. 

Baron  Martin :  It  is  all  withdrawn,  then,  I  understand  ? 

Mr.  James :  It  is,  my  lord. 

Baron  Martin :  I  think  the  plaintiff  is  entitled  to  a  verdict,  and  to  a 
plain,  distinct,  and  entire  retractation.  What  will  you  take  a  verdict  for? 

Mr.  James  :  Five  guineas. 

The  verdict  was  accordingly  taken  for  five  guineas. 

Thus  ended  the  trial  of  Gough  vs.  Lees. 
27 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Continued  Controversy — Macaulay's  Letter — Extract  from  the  "Lon- 
don Morning  Star  " — "  Manchester  Examiner  and  Times." 

BUT  the  end  of  the  controversy  was  not  yet. 
Though  I  had  the  privilege  of  leaving  to  the  Jury 
the  question  of  damages,  I  proposed  by  my  counsel 
to  receive  a  verdict,  "five  guineas  by  consent"  to 
carry  costs — as  I  know  I  had  no  motive  but  to  gain  a 
complete  vindication  of  my  character  from  the  as- 
saults made  upon  it  by  Dr.  Lees.  And  when  the 
"  distinct  and  plain  retractation  without  any  qualifica- 
tion" was  given,  I  was,  content;  but  Dr.  Lees,  that 
same  day,  sent  a  communication  to  the  newspapers 
that  were  in  the  interests  of  the  Alliance,  which  they 
published  in  the  same  column  with  their  report  of  the 
trial.  The  "Record"  and  "Scottish  Journal"  also  re- 
ceived copies.  I  insert  Mr.  Nelson's  letter  to  the 
editor  of  the  "  Alliance  Weekly  News,"  with  the  en- 
closure from  Dr.  Lees : 

MANCHESTER,  June  24,  1858. 

Sir, — In  justice  to  Dr.  Lees,  I  beg  to  request  your  insertion  of  the 
enclosed,  with  your  report  of  the  trial.  A  copy  has  also  been  sent  to 
the  other  temperance  journals,  including  the  "  Weekly  Record,"  and 
the  journal  of  the  "Scottish  Temperance  League." 

Yours  truly, 

J.  E.  NELSON, 
ffon   Sec.  of  Dr.  Lees'  Defense  Fund. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH.  429 

(Enclosure.) 
GOUGH  vs.  LEES. 

"The  retractation  made  by  my  counsel  on  which  the  nominal  verdict 
was  given,  was  made  without  any  authority  from  me,  or  my  solicitors ; 
on  the  contrary,  I  strenuously  protested  against  it,  and  insisted  on  the 
case  proceeding,  fearless  of  the  issue."  (Signed)  F.  R.  LEES. 

London,  June  21,  1858. 

One  of  my  friends  wrote  to  Mr.  Macaulay,  (Lees' 
counsel)  and  received  the  annexed  letter: 

MIDLAND  CIRCUIT,  Derby,  27th  July. 

Sir, — I  had  heard,  but  not  seen  in  print  that  Dr.  Lees  has  stated 
that  the  course  taken  by  me  on  his  behalf  on  the  trial  of  the  action  by 
Mr.  Gough  was  without  his  authority.  Inasmuch  as  he  was  in  court 
sitting  under  me,  and  I  took  the  course  I  did  after  repeated  communi- 
cations with  him,  and  ultimately  with  his  assent,  (without  which  I 
could  have  done  nothing,)  I  did  not  regard  the  reports  I  heard,  of  what 
others  had  read  in  newspapers  I  did  not  see,  as  of  any  moment.  I 
have  had  no  communication  from  Dr.  Lees,  or  any  other  person  on  his 
behalf  since  the  trial.  The  imputation  that  I  acted  otherwise  than  out 
of  a  simple  regard  to  the  interests  of  Dr.  Lees,  or  with  any  understand- 
ing with  Mr.  James  inconsistent  with  my  duty  to  my  client,  is  one  which 
I  do  not  think  it  worth  my  while  to  combat,  and  which  I  am  sure  would 
not  be  attempted  to  be  put  upon  me  in  the  presence  of  any  to  whom  I 
am  known.  The  mere  fact  is,  that  in  common  with  two  eminent 
members  of  the  Bar,  who  were  associated  with  me  in  Dr.  Lees'  defense, 
I  was  of  opinion  that  to  persist  in  endeavoring  to  justify,  with  the  evi- 
dence we  had,  the  libels  complained  of,  would  have  resulted  in  a  verdict 
for  an  amount  of  damages  which  would  have  been  absolutely  disastrous 
to  Dr.  Lees,  and  I  urged  upon  him  most  strongly  the  propriety  of  with- 
drawing from  the  case  in  the  manner  adopted,  unless  indeed,  the  persons 
who  seemed  to  be  aiding  him  in  the  matter  were  prepared  to  pay  for  him 
any  amount  of  damages,  with  the  costs,  that  the  jury  might  award — 
otherwise  if  Dr.  Lees  were  not  in  a  condition  to  protect  himself  by  pay- 
ment out  of  his  own  resources  from  the  consequences  of  an  adverse 
verdict,  his  only  resort  would  be  the  Insolvent  Court,  where  he  would 
infallibly  incur  a  lengthened  term  of  imprisonment  before  he  could  be 
discharged  from  a  debt  so  incurred. 

These  considerations  were  strongly  urged  by  me  upon  Dr.  Lees,  and 


430     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

ultimately  his  consent  was  given  that  I  should  withdraw  from  the  further 
defense  of  the  case ;  if  I  had  failed  in  inducing  Dr.  Lees  to  conform 
himself  to  my  advice,  I  should  have  had  no  choice  but  to  proceed ;  but 
my  first  duty  was  to  take  care  if  I  could  that  my  client  should  not  by 
over  credulousness  in  his  own  case,  and  by  inexperience  of  and  the 
probable  chance  of  a  trial  at  law  be  betrayed  into  his  pecuniary  ruin. 
I  am,  as  you  may  perceive,  writing  in  very  great  haste,  but  I  believe  I 
have  given  you  substantially  the  information  you  require. 

I  am,  sir,  very  obediently,  KENNETH  MACAULAY. 

P.  S. — Understand  that  I  had,  and  have  no  ppinion  whether  Mr. 
Gough  was  or  was  not  liable  to  the  charge  made  by  Dr.  Lees ;  but  the 
ground  of  my  advice  to  Dr.  Lees  was,  that  he  was  not  prepared  with 
anything  like  an  adequate  proof  for  the  purpose  of  his  defense. 

Dr.  Lees  refused  to  pay  the  expense  I  had  incurred 
— the  verdict  giving  ine  the  costs.  Many  friends 
urged  me  to  press  their  payment  on  him  by  law,  but 
as  I  had  gained  all  I  asked,  and  knowing  that  the  re- 
sult of  such  pressure  would  be  imprisonment  to  him, 
I  declined  doing  so.  The  costs  were  between  8  and 
£900 — the  costs  taxed  off,  were  £348  18s.  3d.,  which 
were  paid  out  of  a  fund  raised  among  those  who  sym- 
pathized with  me.  This  fund  amounted  to  £100, 
over  the  sum  paid  for  the  taxed  costs, — and  at  a  pub- 
lic breakfast  the  Secretaries  to  the  fund,  presented 
me  with  that  sum — which  I  respectfully  declined,  pre- 
ferring to  pay  the  costs  myself,  though  by  so  doing,  I 
Joiew  I  was  relieving  my  accuser  of  all  obligation. 
The  trial  and  attendant  expenses  cost  me  nearly 
$5,000.  A  defense  fund  was  started  for  Dr.  Lees,  and 
£1,000  were  presented  to  him  at  a  public  meeting  in 
Leeds.  In  concluding  the  history  of  these  transac- 
tions, I  shall,  at  the  risk  of  wearying  my  reader,  in- 
sert an  article  from  the  "  London  Morning  Star,"  re- 
published  in  the  "  Manchester  Examiner  and  Times," 


AUTOBIOGEAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     431 

with  Dr.  Lees' letter  and  the  "Times'"  reply — and 
then  gather  the  documents  strewing  my  library,  and 
lock  them  up  from  the  light  of  day — having  given 
but  the  bald,  bare  facts  of  the  case,  in  justice  to  my- 
self and  to  all  concerned,  and  for  the  information  of 
friends  in  America,  who  may  desire  an  accurate  knowl- 
edge of  the  history  of  the  "dead  letter"  and  its 
results. 

The  leader  in  the  "  London  Morning  Star  "  of  Au- 
gust 10,  1860,  was  as  follows: 

This  morning  a  gentleman  leaves  London  on  his  return  to  America, 
who  has  occupied  sufficient  space  in  the  estimation  of  a  considerable  sec- 
tion of  the  public,  to  make  the  results  of  his  labors  generally  interesting. 
The  story  of  Mr.  J.  B.  Gough's  life  is  soon  told,  and  as  told  by  himself  is 
deeply  interesting.  It  is  a  chapter  remarkable  for  its  depth  of  shadow  and 
its  sparkling  sunshine,  containing  nearly  all  that  can  debase,  and  nearly 
all  that  can  gratify  and  elevate  a  man.  Born  in  England,  he  was  sent 
to  America  when  a  boy,  and  instead  of  finding  fortune,  he  became  the 
victim  of  intemperance.  The  unpatronizing  kindness  of  a  working  man 
rescued  him  from  the  degradation.  To  use  his  own  expression,  he 
"  signed  the  pledge,"  and  from  that  day  to  this  he  has  risen  in  the  so- 
cial scale.  His  fame  as  a  public  speaker  in  America  reached  those  in- 
terested in  the  temperance  movement  in  this  country,  and  he  was  invited 
over  for  six  weeks  by  the  National  Temperance  League.  He  came, 
and  his  services  were  in  such  request,  that  he  remained  two  years.  He 
returned  to  America — came  back  a  second  time  to  this  country,  where 
he  has  remained  three  years,  one  of  these  years  being  devoted  to  Scot- 
land and  Ireland,  and  the  other  two  to  England,  where  he  has  delivered 
three  hundred  and  ninety  addresses,  to  an  aggregate  of  at  least  five 
hundred  thousand  hearers,  nearly  twelve  thousand  of  whom  are  said 
to  have  signed  the  temperance  pledge. 

On  Wednesday  evening,  when  he  delivered  his  ninety-fifth  oration  in 
Exeter  Hall,  he  was  presented  with  an  address,  which  shows  the  estima- 
tion in  which  he  is  held  by  men  of  all  parties.  The  first  signature  was 
that  of  Sir  Fitzroy  Kelly,  followed  by  nearly  three  hundred  others, 
embracing  a  large  proportion  of  the  best  known  orators,  and  philan- 
thropists of  England.  The  secret  of  Mr.  Gough's  all  but  universal 


432     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHX  B.  GOUGH. 

success,  on  a  subject  in  which  a  comparatively  small  section  of  the  pub- 
lic take  special  interest,  is  at  least  remarkable,  and  to  describe  it  in  a 
sentence,  it  is  the  merit  of  shedding  the  radiance  of  genius  on  difficul- 
ties, over  which  other  temperance  orators  have  stumbled,  and  the  still 
higher  merit  of  showing  how  the  spirit,  and  bearing  of  a  Christian  gen- 
tleman ennoble,  and  irresistibly  strengthen  the  apostle  of  a  good  cause. 

But,  in  other  respects,  Mr.  Gough  has  proved  himself  no  ordinary 
man.  What  would  have  ruined  ninety-nine  out  of  every  hundred 
strong  men,  has  only  strengthened  him.  He  came  the  first  time  her- 
alded by  high  hopes,  and  was  welcomed  with  paroxysms  of  laudation. 
Everything  which  could  stimulate  vanity  was  lavished  upon  him  by  the 
more  ardent  section  of  his  followers.  When  he  came  the  second  time, 
those  who  had  formerly  hailed  him  with  irrational  praise,  began  to  per- 
secute him  with  still  more  irrational  folly.  He  had  committed  two 
great  crimes.  He  expressed  an  honest  opinion  on  the  Maine  law — an 
opinion  which  nearly  all  disinterested  men  now  believe  to  have  been 
correct.  He  had  been  guilty  of  the  still  more  unpardonable  crime  of 
casting  former  temperance  orators  into  shade,  and  the  savage  envy  of 
aspiring  drones  sought  solace  in  torturing  his  spirit,  through  an  effort 
to  brand  him  as  an  intemperate  hypocrite.  He  vindicated  his  character 
before  the  British  public  in  a  court  of  law,  and  his  accusers  withdrew 
the  accusation,  apologized,  and  accepted  a  verdict  for  damages. 

Such  change  of  treatment  has  often  before  driven  strong  men  to  des- 
pair. It  drove  Byron  to  debauchery,  and  Haydyn  to  self-destruction ; 
but  through  the  power  of  living  faith,  Gough  has  risen  on  the  wave  in- 
tended to  overwhelm  him,  brighter  in  spirit,  and  stronger  in  his  intel- 
lectual manhood.  Nor  were  feeble  although  plausible  objections  un- 
used to  his  disparagement.  To  the  weakly  pious  he  was  represented  as 
«'  too  dramatic,"  and  to  the  would-be  critical  as  "  too  rhetorical."  Both 
parties,  shaking  their  wise  heads,  "  had  always  thought  so ; "  innocently 
ignorant  of  the  facts  that  dramatic  power  is  one  of  the  rarest  gifts  of 
geniuses,  and  that  it  was  the  want  of  rhetoric  from  which  his  earlier  ad- 
dresses in  this  country  most  severely  suffered.  Pretentious  pedants  at- 
tempted to  prove  him  ignorant  o'f  Scripture  wines,  and  logic,  while 
many  well  meaning  mediocrities  professed  themselves  disappointed  at 
his  want  of  refinement;  but  it  is  now  all  but  universally  conceded  that 
his  graphic  illustrations  contain  more  genuine  logical  power,  than  the 
best  constructed  syllogisms  of  his  most  acute  detractors,  and  that  his 
descriptions  of  the  external  world,  or  the  emotions  of  the  mind,  are,  ac- 
cording to  all  the  highest  standards,  more  generally  refined  than  that 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     433 

dulness,  according  to  scholastic  rule,  which  sometimes  passes  under  the 
more  euphonious  word,  refinement.  Shakspeare  and  Milton,  Coleridge 
and  Sir  Walter  Scott,  were  subjected  to  the  same  charge  by  the  pro- 
genitors of  this  race  of  critics.  Even  the  Bible  has  not  escaped  the 
fastidious  doubts  of  this  class  of  objectors;  but  it  is  the  glory  of 
Gough's  eloquence,  that  he  deals  with  men,  and  not  with  words  supposed 
to  represent  them ;  and  the  secret  of  his  strength  is  hidden  in  the  fact 
that,  like  all  successful  orators,  from  Demosthenes  to  Lord  Brougham, 
he  deals  with  nature  as  it  is,  and  not  as  these  refinement-mongers  would 
prefer  to  see  it. 

There  is  a  refinement,  however, — although  not  that  which  such  ob- 
jectors desiderate — in  which  Mr.  Gough  has  made  great  advances,  since 
he  first,  and  especially  since  he  last  came  to  this  country.  Then,  like 
other  young  men,  he  was  occasionally  redundant  in  "  fine  things,"  and 
there  was  not  unfrequently  a  substitution  of  sail  where  ballast  would 
have  added  greater  dignity  to  the  onward  flow  of  the  discourse ;  but  the 
mental  conflict  through  which  his  enemies  have  dragged  him,  has  puri- 
fied his  style  from  that  too  often  attractive  alloy,  and  what  has  increased 
his  influence  over  minds  educated  and  thoughtful,  has,  in  a  correspond- 
ing ratio,  destroyed  his  prestige  among  the  fire-eating  and  ignorant. 
Those  who  most  appreciate  the  graphic  power  of  Dante,  and  the  music 
of  Shelley,  increasingly  admire  the  growing  power  of  Mr.  Gough,  while 
those  to  whom  raving  rant  is  "glorious  eloquence,"  and  unintelligible 
labyrinths  "  most  convincing  proof,"  relieve  their  sour  souls  on  him  who 
was  formerly  the  object  of  their  adoration.  This  is,  itself,  unanswerable 
evidence  of  his  growing  power  in  a  purer  and  higher  state  of  oratory ;  not 
in  the  refinement  of  college  speeches  and  boarding-school  prize  poems, 
which  have  as  little  connection  with  genius,  as  the  often  washings  of  a 
Pharisee  with  devotion, — but  in  a  refinement  through  which  genius  has 
always  perplexed  rules  and  etiquette,  and  which  enabled  Bonaparte  to 
fight  battles  in  December,  when  by  all  the  rules  of  Marshal  Daun  "  the 
little  corporal  "  ought  to  have  gone  into  winter  quarters  in  November. 

For  a  hundred  and  fifty  years  nearly  all  good  causes  suffered  by  this 
mechanical  smoothness — misnamed  refinement.  Poetry  had,  from  the 
"Tempest"  and  "Comus,"  been  refined  down  to  odes  by  now  forgot- 
ten poetasters,  when  Cowper  burst  the  swaddling  bands  of  fashion,  and 
gave  vent  to  his  indignant  muse  in  rugged  and  unwonted  verse.  In  re- 
ligion, the  masculine  thought  and  fearless  energy  of  Puritans  and  Cov- 
enanters had  been  refined  down  to  the  feeble  classicality  of  Blair,  and 
the  simpering  formalism  of  Cowper's  "well-bred"  whisperer,  till  Wes- 


434     AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

ley  and  Whitfield,  Hall  and  Chalmers,  tore  aside  tbe  flimsy  sham,  and, 
with  most  unpolite  earnestness,  called  their  fellow-sinners  to  repentance. 
These  scholastic  minds  were  perhaps  necessary  to  direct  the  storming  of 
this  huge  burden  and  imposture,  and  others  have  entered  the  breach  to 
redeem  all  that  was  valuable  in  poetry,  theology,  politics,  and  general 
thought,  from  this  unbearable  refinement. 

Without  expressing  an  opinion  on  the  temperance  question,  it  is  but 
justice  to  its  more  sensible  adherents  to  admit  that  it  is  not  the  least 
conspicuous  honor  of  the  temperance  cause  that  it  has  rescued  all  that 
pertains  to  social  science  and  popular  elevation  from  the  freezing  grasp 
of  this  absurd  tyranny. 

Men  with  little  learning,  but  brim  full  of  bitter  experience,  threw 
burning  words  into  the  convictions  of  their  fellow-sufferers,  and  the 
temperance  men  were  the  principal  supporters  of  such  unrefined  de- 
claimers.  But  the  sound  increased  in  volume,  till  the  more  susceptible 
portions  of  respectability  were  compelled  to  hear.  The  speaking  out 
of  plain  men,  on  their  peculiar  wrongs  and  wants  was  listened  to  with 
respect,  and  now  it  has  almost  become  a  fashion,  in  all  but  the  most 
old-fashioned  circles,  to  profess  the  loudest  interest  in  what  the  unre- 
fined classes  either  think  or  say. 

The  temperance  movement  has  been  one  important  agent  in  securing 
this  change,  and  Mr.  Gough  will  ever  be  esteemed  one  of  the  most 
eminent  trophies  of  this  disruption  of  that  insipid  conformity  to 
schools,  and  the  return  to  that  higher  standard  of  nature's  eloquence, 
of  which  his  own  style  is  at  once  a  result  and  one  of  the  most  eminent 
examples.  Thousands  upon  thousands  in  Britain  bless  him  for  his 
work's  sake. 

The  following  is  from  the  "Manchester  Examiner 
and  Times"  of  August  23,  1860: 

GOUGH  AND  THE  TEMPERANCE  ADVOCATES. 
To  the  editor  of  the  "  Examiner  and  Times :  Sir, — I  noticed  in  your 
paper  the  other  day  a  leader  extracted  from  the  "  Morning  Star,"  fur- 
nished, as  I  have  reason  to  know,  to  that  journal  by  the  employers  of 
Mr.  Gough.  With  the  fulsome  eulogies  and  extraordinary  opinions  on 
oratory  contained  in  that  article,  I  have  nothing  to  do;  but  to  the  covert 
and  cowardly  reference  to  "the  other  advocates"  of -the  temperance 
cause  in  the  mass,  I  have  a  right  to  complain.  It  is,  however,  rather 
as  a  matter  of  duty  to  yourself  and  your  readers,  that  you  may  be  de- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     435 

f; 

livered  from  an  imposition,  and  a  delusion,  that  I  now  write  you  in  re- 
gard to  some  matters  of  fact,  merely  in  addition  posting  you  my  final 
words  for  your  information  as  respects  the  true  history  of  the  libel  case. 

1.  The  so-called  Autobiography  was  written  by  Dr.  Dix,  of  Boston, 
"sweetened"  editions  of  which  have  been  prepared  for  the  English 
market,  and  so  far  from  its  subject,  after  signing  the  pledge,  "from 
that  day  to  this,"  rising  in  estimation,  the  fact  is,  that  he  relapsed  again 
and  again  into  the  most  degrading  vice,  I  place  the  facts  before  you. 

2.  The  list  of  three  hundred  names,  so  far  from  containing  the  great 
names  of  the  movement,  is  more  remarkable  for  the  omission  than 
anything  else,  and   after  being  hawked  about  for  months,  is  at  least 
chiefly  filled  either  with  outsiders,  or  with  names  little  known,  includ- 
ing entire  family  circles,  young  and  old,  male  and  female,  and  some  not 
abstainers. 

3.  The  parties  who  "welcomed  him  with  paroxysms  of  laudation" 
on  his  first  visit,  are  precisely  the  same  who  laud  and  employ  him  now, 
— viz  :  the  parties  who  sent  the  article  to  the  "  Morning  Star." 

4.  My  quarrel  and  that  of  others  with  the  "  orator," -was  not  that 
he  expressed  an  honest  opinion,  but  that  he  published  as  facts  what  was 
contradicted  by  himself  to  his  American  friends  (Delevan  and  McCoy); 
that  what  he  said  to  them  there  he  declined  to  say  to  Mr.  Pope  here; 
that  he  has  frequently  since  said  in  public  that  "  he  never  said  that  the 
Maine  Law  was  a  failure,  though  you  and  I  know  he  did.     We  cannot 
— at  least,  I  cannot — patronize  mendacious  men,  or  any  pretense  of 
policy  or  religion. 

5.  Moreover,  the  libel  case  had  its  origin  in  the  Demoine  libel  pub- 
lished against  Sinclair,  as  you  will  see  from  the  "  History  of  a  Blunder," 
now  sent  you ;  it  was  a  quarrel  with  me  personally,  to  injure  the  Alli- 
ance friends  and  policy. 

6.  "The  savage  envy  of  aspiring  drones"  (?)  is  ascribed  in  your 
citation  to  some  persons  who  were  "cast  into  the  shade"  by  the  light 
of  this  new  luminary.     What  was  the  fact  ?     That  nearly  all  the  ad- 
vocates united  to  draw  up  an  address  of  warm  welcome  to  him  ;  I  my- 
self drew  up  the  address;*  and  to  the  day  of  his  departure  I  never 
uttered  in  public  a  word  against  him ;  most  of  the  other  advocates  eulo- 
gized him,  and  it  was  he  who  first  broke  the  peace,  in  hisjirst  speech  on 
his  second  visit  by  a  violent  attack  upon  myself,  Mr.  Pope,  Judge 
Marshall,  and  the  secretary  of  the  Alliance.     (I  compelled  him  to  apol- 

*  This  address  was  never  presented  to  me ;  whatever  became  of  it,  I  know  not 


436     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

ogize  to  myself.)  We  were  the  injured  parties,  misrepresented  again  and 
again  ;  and  my  offense  was  the  sole  one  of  expressing  my  knowledge  in 
a  private  and  confidential  letter,  written  expressly  to  avoid  a  public 
scandal.  When  Mr.  Beggs  was  secretary  of  the  National  Temperance 
Society,  in  1847,  the  proposal  to  bring  the  "  orator  "  was  cushioned  on 
the  ground  of  instability. 

7.  "  Pretentious  pedants  "  are  said  to  have  attempted  to  "  prove  him 
ignorant  of  Scripture  wines ;  as  far  as  I  know,  the  orator  never  made 
any  pretensions  to  such  knowledge,  and  the  task,  therefore,  would  have 
been  of  supererogation.     But  the  fact  is,  no  one  ever  thought  of  bothering 
the  orator's  brains  with  either  criticism  or  logic  at  all.     The  charge  is 
hauled  in  for  the  evil  purpose  of  discrediting  some  one  else. 

8.  A  legal  vindication  against  moral  charges  is  often  no  vindication 
at  all,  and  it  is  not  true  that  I  ever  retracted  or  apologized,  or  instructed 
others  to  do  it  for  me.     Wishing  you  success,  however,  in  your  en- 
deavors to  ascertain  the  truth,  I  am,  yours  truly,  F.  R  LEES. 

Leeds,  August  18,  1860. 

The  editor  of  the  Manchester  "Examiner  and 
Times"  commented  on  the  above  letter  as  follows: 

In  another  part  of  our  impression  will  be  found  a  letter  from  Dr. 
F.  R.  Lees,  one  of  the  agents  and  lecturers  of  the  United  Kingdom 
Alliance.  The  letter  is  a  libel,  but  we  deliberately  risk  its  publication, 
partly  to  oblige  Dr.  Lees,  whom  a  too  rigorous  adherence  on  our  part  to 
the  rules  of  good  breeding  would  perpetually  exclude  from  our  columns, 
and  partly  to  show  how  a  good  cause  may  be  damaged  by  the  conduct 
of  its  promoters.  We  had,  it  seems,  the  ill-luck  to  offend  Dr.  Lees,  by 
an  article  on  Mr.  Gough  which  we  lately  extracted  from  the  "  Morning 
Star."  We  thought  the  article  a  good  one,  eulogistic  of  Mr.  Gough, 
but  within  proper  limits,  and  embodying,  on  the  whole,  a  just  and  can- 
did estimate  of  his  career,  and  so  we  gave  our  readers  the  opportunity 
of  perusing  it  Dr.  Lees  thinks  otherwise.  In  bis  opinion — and,  as  a 
lecturer  in  the  same  field,  his  opinion  is  worth  knowing — the  "eulo- 
gies" on  Mr.  Gough  contained  in  the  article  are  "fulsome,"  and  Its 
"opinions  on  oratory"  "extraordinary."  In  other  words,  Dr.  Lees, 
himself  a  temperance  lecturer  of  considerable  pretensions,  decidedly 
quarrels  with  those  people  who  think  that  Mr.  Gough  is  the  most  elo- 
quent of  temperance  lecturers.  The  public  have  ignorantly  put  the 
saddle  on  the  wrong  horse.  If  they  had  understood  oratory  better  they 
would  have  awarded  the  palm  to  some  other  man. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     437 

Still  Dr.  Lees  does  not  trouble  himself  about  this  mistake.  He  is 
above  such  things.  He  simply  wishes  to  save  us  from  "  an  imposition 
and  a  delusion"  in  regard  to  matters  of  fact.  We  are  obliged  to  him, 
though  at  the  same  time  we  beg  to  say  that  having  taken  the  trouble  to 
read  through  some  hundred  and  thirty  letters  on  the  points  in  dispute, 
we  think  ourselves  competent  to  form  an  opinion  without  his  aid.  Dr. 
Lees  says  he  has  a  right  to  complain,  because  of  the  "covert  and  cow- 
ardly reference"  made  in  the  article  to  "the  other  advocates"  of  the 
temperance  cause.  We  find  no  such  phrase  in  the  whole  article. 
"  Other  temperance  orators "  are  the  words  used.  The  discrepancy 
may  appear  slight,  but  nobody  knows  better  than  Dr.  Lees  that  the 
definite  article  "the"  may  make  all  the  difference  between  a  universal 
and  a  particular  assertion.  The  article  also  speaks  of  the  "savage 
envy  of  aspiring  drones,"  and  of  "  men  who  were  cast  into  the  shade 
by  the  light  of  this  new  luminary."  Dr.  Lees  will  have  it  that  these 
expressions  were  meant  to  apply  to  him.  We  cannot  agree  with  him 
in  the  grounds  of  this  opinion.  Dr.  Lees  is  a  Ph.  D.  He  is  conse- 
quently a  learned  man.  He  is  an  ingenious  and  inexhaustible  writer. 
He  is  considerably  skilled  in  the  science  and  practice  of  logic.  He  can 
construct  syllogisms  by  the  page.  He  has  fought  with  the  "  Westmin- 
ster Review,"  and  has  recently  earned  fresh  laurels  in  a  savage  en- 
counter with  Mr.  Lewes.  If  it  were  necessary  to  say  more,  we  might 
add  that,  on  his  own  testimony,  when  he  went  to  Scotland  after  Mr. 
Gough  had  swept  through  the  land,  he  was  greeted  by  "large  and  en- 
thusiastic meetings."  The  modesty  of  Dr.  Lees  exposes  him  to  error. 
He  must  not  apply  the  above  expressions  to  himself.  We  beg  to  as- 
sure him  that  he  is  not  a  "drone,"  and  that  his  "light"  is  one  which 
no  new  luminary  can  extinguish. 

Still,  believing  himself  to  be  slighted,  Dr.  Lees  will  have  his  re- 
venge; not  on  personal  grounds,  of  course,  but  merely  for  the  love  of 
truth.  We  are  sorry  to  see  him  driven  to  this  necessity,  for  it  is  the 
misfortune  of  Dr.  Lees  that,  whenever  he  engages  in  controversy,  he 
does  more  harm  to  himself  than  to  his  opponent.  This  is  the  case  with 
him  to-day.  He  tells  us  that  the  article  in  question  was  "  furnished  " 
to  the  "  Morning  Star  "  by  gentlemen  whom,  with  admirable  delicacy, 
he  calls  Mr.  Cough's  "employers."  However  that  may  be,  of  two 
things  we  are  well  assured,  viz :  that  our  contemporary  never  publishes 
in  its  leading  columns  any  opinions  but  its  own,  and  that  Mr.  Gough's 
"  employers  "  are  not  likely  to  tell  Dr.  Lees  what  they  do.  Then,  Dr. 
Lees  seldom  refers  to  Mr.  Gough  except  by  way  ot  derision  as  "  the 


438     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

orator."  This  is  unwise,  for  people  will  take  it  as  showing  pretty 
clearly  where  the  shoe  pinches.  A  distinguished  man  like  Dr.  Lees  is 
no  doubt  entirely  free  from  the  small  vice  of  envy,  but  it  is  only  pru- 
dent to  guard  against  appearances.  But  there  is  another  portentous 
fact.  The  little  pamphlet  known  as  Mr.  Gough's  personal  narrative 
was,  it  seems,  written,  not  by  Mr.  Gough,  but  by  Dr.  Dix  of  Boston; 
— that  is,  Mr.  Gough  had  the  exceedingly  good  sense  to  avail  himself 
of  the  assistance  of  a  literary  friend  in  writing  his  autobiography. 
Anything  more,  Dr.  Lees?  Yes.  The  memorial  presented  to  Mr. 
Gough  the  other  week,  signed  by  three  hundred  names,  was  a  "got  up" 
affair  ;  and,  between  ourselves,  so  far  from  Mr.  Gough  having  risen  in 
estimation  ever  since  he  signed  the  pledge,  "he  relapsed  again  and 
again  into  the  most  degrading  vice."  Here  we  are  fairly  brought  to  a 
pause.  We  took  Dr.  Lees  for  a  man  of  honor. 

Our  readers  have  doubtless  heard  something  of  the  libel  case  of 
"Gough  v.  Lees."  It  is  a  long  story,  and  we  do  not  intend  to  go  into 
details ;  but  its  history  throws  light  upon  the  letter  on  which  we  are 
commenting,  and  may  be  summed  up  in  a  few  words.  Between  his  first 
and  second  visit  to  this  country,  Mr.  Gough  was  said  to  have  expressed 
an  opinion  that  the  Main  Law  movement  in  the  United  States  was  a  fail- 
ure. From  that  moment  he  was  a  marked  man.  When  he  arrived  in 
England  he  offered  explanation,  tending  to  show  that  what  he  said 
had  been  misinterpreted  or  misrepresented.  It  is  usually  deemed 
courteous  to  accept  such  explanations,  but  Mr.  Gough  was  not  to  be  let 
off  so  easily.  He  was  now  taxed  with  falsehood  as  well  as  heresy 
and  morality  was  invoked  to  put  "  the  orator"  down.  Presently  it  was 
rumored  that  Mr.  Gough  was  not  so  good  a  man  as  he  seemed.  Somebody 
somewhere  had  seen  him  stagger.  He  had  turned  sick  at  one  of  Dr.  Lees's 
lectures.  Dr.  Lees  himself  found  him  one  day  on  the  sofa  in  a  state  less 
lively  than  the  Doctor's.  There  were  terrible  suspicions  in  Dr.  Lees's 
mind  that  his  rival  had  recourse  to  opium  and  "honey  dew"  tobacco. 
At  all  events  it  was  certain  that  Mr.  Gougb,  some  ten  years  before,  had 
relapsed  for  a  short  time  into  intemperance.  Wrought  to  a  pitch  of 
indignant  virtue,  Dr.  Lees  wrote  to  various  gentlemen  in  different  parts 
of  the  country  a  series  of  letters,  which  for  coarseness,  scurrility,  cow- 
ardly inuendo,  and  vulgar  insolence,  were  certainly  unrivaled.  One  of 
these  letters  was  most  properly  given  up  to  Mr.  Gough,  and  the  conse- 
quence was  an  action  in  the  Court  of  Queen's  Bench.  Here  Dr.  Lees 
had  an  opportunity  of  proving  his  charges  to  the  satisfaction  of  a  jury, 
and  if  he  had  proved  them  he  would  have  won  a  verdict.  He  was  not 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOTJGH.  439 

able  to  prove  them.  Dr.  Lees  was  in  court.  He  told  his  legal  adviser 
to  "do  his  best."  His  counsel  thought  that  the  "  best "  course  was  to 
retract  charges  which  he  could  not  prove.  They  were  retracted  accord- 
ingly, Dr.  Lees  sitting  .by,  and  a  verdict  with  damages  was  given  against 
him.  What  was  the  honorable  course  to  pursue  after  such  a  trial? 
Certainly  not  to  repeat  the  libel  which  had  thus  been  solemnly  with- 
drawn. Dr.  Lees  has  taken  another.  The  moment  he  was  safely  out 
of  court,  he  repudiated  the  arrangement  which  had  just  been  made  in 
his  name.  He  persisted  in  ascribing  to  his  victim  "  moral  guilt,"  on 
the  score  of  alleged  acts  which  he  had  utterly  failed  to  prove,  and  now 
that  Mr.  Gough  has  left  for  the  United  States,  we  find  Dr.  Lees  un- 
sheathing his  weapons  against  an  absent  man,  and  repeating  his  old 
slanders. 

We  have  now  done  with  Dr.  Lees,  but  we  have  still  a  word  or  two 
to  say  on  behalf  of  the  movement  which  has  the  misfortune  of  not  be- 
ing able  to  find  a  more  amiable  advocate.  The  temperance  cause  is  be- 
yond the  reach  of  patronage.  It  has  been  winning  its  way  for  thirty 
years  past,  through  good  report  and  evil  report,  till  at  length  the  bene- 
fits it  has  wrought,  not  only  among  the  working-classes  but  among  all 
ranks  of  society,  have  placed  it  among  the  most  respected  and  most  val- 
uable agencies  of  the  present  day.  If  it  had  done  nothing  besides  call- 
ing into  existence  a  host  of  volunteer  workers  in  the  cause  of  philan- 
thropy from  the  humblest  ranks  of  life,  many  of  whom  have  risen  to  dis- 
tinction for  their  eloquence  and  ability  as  professed  advocates,  it  would 
have  rendered  no  common  aid  to  the  intellectual  progress  of  the  age. 
We  ask  those  who  are  tempted  to  deride  the  temperance  movement  to 
pause  till  they  have  surveyed  the  tens  of  thousands  whom  it  has  re- 
claimed from  vice,  the  families  it  has  snatched  from  starvation  and  crime, 
and  the  wretched  receptacles  of  misery  which  it  has  transformed  into 
happy  homes;  and  if,  after  this,  they  can  still  point  a  sarcasm  at  the 
agency  which  has  achieved 'those  marvels  of  beneficence,  their  taste  is 
little  to  be  envied. 

KVe  will  say  no  more  than  that  the  welfare  of  the  common  cause  re- 
quires the  cessation  of  jealousy  and  strife.  An  army  divided  against 
itself  will  never  win,  and  advocates  who  employ  their  talents  in  black- 
balling one  another,  will  scarcely  succeed  in  making  converts.  A  cause 
is  but  indifferently  served  by  men  whose  official  zeal  is  uniformly  un- 
civil ;  and  it  will  be  found,  in  the  long  run,  that  the  most  efficient 
talent  works  all  the  better  for  being  swayed  by  charity  and  candor. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

Fete  at  Sudbrook  Park — Soiree  at  George  Cruikshank's — Edinburgh — 
Orkney  Islands — Absence  of  Trees — Trip  to  Sanday — Visit  to  Paris 
— Pumpkin  Pie — Drunkenness  in  Wine-Growing  Countries — Ge- 
neva— Mayence — Vevay — Mont  Blanc — Glaciers — The  "  Dreadful 
Doll" — Cologne — Relics — Visit  to  Ireland — Last  Meeting  in  London 
— -Bible  Presentation — Our  Departure. 

LEAVING  this  unpleasant  episode,  I  turn  to  the  more 
agreeable  recollections  of  my  experience  in  Great 
Britain ;  and  having  anticipated  in  my  narrative,  the 
time  of  the  trial,  will  return  to  the  date  of  our  arri- 
val in  London. 

We  remained  resting  at  Norfolk  Street,  visiting 
friends,  and  sight-seeing,  till  August  10th,  when  we 
attended  a  fete  given  at  Sudbrook  Park,  Richmond, 
and  were  guests  of  Dr.  Ellis,  who  very  kindly  threw 
open  his  beautiful  grounds  for  a  gala  day  to  the 
friends  of  temperance,  when  I  received  a  cordial  wel- 
come -,  and  as  it  is  not  my  intention,  in  the  remain- 
ing pages  of  this  book,  to  chronicle  the  fetes,  break- 
fasts and  entertainments  that  were  given,  I  shall  omit 
some,  and  briefly  allude  to  others;  but  must  not  i£>r- 
get  that  on  Friday  evening,  July  31st,  we  attended  a 
soiree  given  by  George  Cruikshank,  at  his  house  in 
Mornington  Place,  and  no  pleasure-gathering  was 
more  thoroughly  enjoyable;  we  are  glad  to  number 
him,  with  his  noble  wife,  among  our  dearest  friends 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     441 

in  England.  He  is  a  man  whom  none  can  know 
without  loving;  and  we  can  attest  the  truthfulness 
of  the  statement  that,  "among  the  supporters  of  the 
temperance  cause,  at  public  meetings,  there  is  not 
one  whose  speeches  abound  with  greater  common 
sense,  or  with  more  happy  and  amusing  observations 
on  the  subject  in  its  various  bearings." 

The  name  of  George  Cruikshank  will  be  known  to 
posterity  as  an  artist,  by  his  inimitable  etchings,  and 
as  the  prince  of  living  humorists;  but  his  name  will 
ever  be  held  in  esteem,  as  a  moral  reformer,  whose 
wit  and  humor  have  always  been  enlisted,  and  exer- 
cised on  the  side  of  virtue.  In  private,  he  is  simply 
delightful,  and  one  of  the  most  valuable  additions  to 
my  library,  is  a  collection  of  his  etchings  I  have  been 
gathering  for  years,  now  numbering  nearly  twelve 
hundred,  which  I  hope  to  make  yet  more  complete. 

On  the  12th  of  August,  we  all  paid  a  visit  to 
Houghton,  and  were  entertained  by  Mr.  George 
Brown,  and  Potto  Brown,  spending  our  time  delight- 
fully there,  till  the  25th,  when  I  ran  up  to  London 
for  the  first  speech  in  Exeter  Hall,  returning  next 
day  to  Houghton,  and  remaining  there  till  the  31st, 
when  we  went  to  Manchester,  visiting  the  "Art 
Treasures"  on  exhibition  and  holding  a  meeting  in 
Free  Trado  Hall,  then  on  to  Preston,  reaching  Edin- 
burgh on  September  3d.  "We  took  our  old  lodgings 
at  the  Waverly,  and  looked  about  for  a  "flat," — that 
is,  a  suit  of  rooms  on  one  floor, — the  houses  in  Scot- 
land, many  of  them,  being  divided  into  flats,  with 
apartments  for  a  family  on  each  floor,  a  stairway  from 
the  street  being  common  to  all.  We  moved  into  118 
Princes  Street,  and  commenced  housekeeping:  Mrs. 


442     AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

Knox,  her  daughter,  and  sister,  with  Mr.  Gould,  re- 
maining at  home,  while  we  made  our  peregrinations 
on  lecturing  tours  through  Scotland. 

Our  first,  was  to  the  Orkney  Islands,  taking  the 
steamer  from  Aberdeen,  to  Kirkwall  on  the  "Main 
Island."  One  peculiarity  there,  was  the  absence  of 
trees.  I  believe  there  are  a  dozen  trees  on  this  island, 
but  none  on  the  others;  and  I  found  persons  there 
who  had  never  seen  a  tree.  I  remember  meeting  a 
lady  who  was  married  from  the  Shetlands,  where  she 
was  born,  and  when  brought  into  the  region  of  trees, 
complained  that  she  could  not  breathe,  and  longed 
for  the  open  sky,  where  she  would  not  feel  smothered, 
as  she  did  by  tlie  foliage. 

We  returned  by  way  of  Wick,  Dornoch  and  Inver- 
ness, to  -Edinburgh.  We  traveled  from  Wick  to  In- 
verness in  the  mail  coach,  and  had  for  a  fellow-passen- 
ger a  drunken  lord,  who  offered  us  whisky,  and  was 
very  offensive  till  he  got  stupidly  drunk  and  went  to 
sleep.  He  was  altogether  a  disagreeable  companion. 
Lords  and  commoners  are  on  a  level  when  drunk, 
whatever  may  be  the  distinction  when  sober.* 

We  remained  in  Scotland  till  November  27th,  when 
we  ran  up  to  London  for  five  lectures  in  Exeter  Hall. 
Returning  to  Scotland,  we  finished  the  year  in  Edin- 
burgh. On  January  4th,  we  went  to  Broughty  Ferry, 
and  visited  the  venerable  Dr.  Dick,  the  author  of  "The 
Christian  Philosopher,"  and  other  valuable  works  of 
like  character,  who  gave  me  some  autographs.  On 
the  18th,  we  removed  to  London,  taking  Chester, 
Liverpool  and  Coventry  on  our  way.  We  had  taken 
furnished  apartments,  only  finding  plate  and  linen. 
We  arrived  in  London  on  the  23d,  to  fulfill  the  eight 

*  See  note  at  the  end  of  this  Chapter,  and  illustration  on  page  475. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.    443 

months'  engagement  in  England,  and  went  into  a  fur- 
nished house,  at  No.  4  South  Parade,  Trafalgar  Square, 
Brompton.  I  worked  steadily  in  different  parts  of  the 
country  till  June  9th,  when  we  returned  to  prepare 
for  the  trial,  which  came  off  on  the  21st;  rested  at 
home  till  the  5th  of  July,  when  we  visited  our  dear 
friend,  Samuel  Bowly,  at  Horsepools ;  then  to  Hough- 
'ton,  where  we  spent  another  delightful  week ;  from 
there  to  Sherwood  Hall,  with  the  dear  family  of  Wil- 
liam Wilson — now  broken  up  and  separated  by  his 
death.  After  that,  we  spent  a  week  with  Joseph 
Tucker's  family,  at  Pavenham  Bury,  and  returned  to 
London,  July  24th ;  rested  there,  visiting  friends,  till 
August  4th,  when,  thoroughly  recruited,  we  left  for 
Manchester ;  then  to  Wales ;  back  again  to  London ; 
afterwards  through  Leeds  and  Darlington  to  Edin- 
burgh. 

On  the  18th  of  September,  we  went  again  to  the 
Orkney  Islands,  and  after  remaining  at  Kirkwall  for 
two  days,  I  went  in  an  open  boat  to  the  island  of 
Sanday.  I  never  experienced  such  terrific  winds  in 
my  life.  Coming  up  from  the  boat  to  the  house 
where  I  was  entertained,  I  could  scarcely  keep  my 
footing.  I  felt  alarmed,  lest  I  should  be  blown  away, 
and  complained  of  the  strength  of  the  wind.  "Oh!" 
laughed  my  stalwart  guide,  "This  is  nought,  only  a 
puff.  Why,  man,  the  wind  sometimes  sweeps  our 
whole  harvest  into  the  sea."  Their  houses  are  low, 
and  built  of  solid  stone.  They  look  much  weather- 
beaten. 

The  next  day  the  wind  seemed  to  lull,  but  I  was 
glad  to  get  back  to  Kirkwall.  In  the  night  the  wind 
"got  up,"  as  they  term  it,  and  it  nearly  got  me  up, 
28 


444     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN"  B.  GOUGH. 

for  its  power  was  beyond  anything  I  had  before  con- 
ceived, and  the  boat  in  which  I  had  made  the  trip  to 
Sanday,  was  blown  to  Norway,  three  hundred  miles 
distant,  and  had  not  returned  when  we  left,  eight 
days  after,  so  I  only  escaped  by  one  day,  an  -involun- 
tary visit  to  Norway. 

I  had  engaged  to  go  to  the  Shetlands,  but  on  the 
day  appointed  for  starting  from  Kirkwall,  the  wind 
blew  such  a  hurricane,  that  we  were  compelled  to  re- 
main, and  on  the  29th  we  left  those  windy,  treeless 
islands,  with  their  warm-hearted,  hospitable  people, 
and  reached  Edinburgh  on  the  30th,  somewhat  worn 
by  the  trip. 

We  continued  in  Scotland,  keeping  house,  till  Jan- 
uary 25th,  making  one  trip  to  London  for  five  lec- 
tures in  December.  These  trips  of  four  hundred  and 
six  miles  were  very  pleasant.  We  would  leave  Edin- 
burgh at  8  o'clock,  A.  M.,  and  reach  London  before 
7  o'clock,  P.  M.,  with  a  stop  of  half  an  hour  for  dinner, 
and  two  ten  minutes  stops  at  different  stations. 

We  were  back  in  London,  February  1st,  and  rented 
a  furnished  house  at  8  Edith  Grove,  Brompton,  visit- 
ing towns  in  various  parts  of  the  country,  till  July 
14th,  when  we  came  home  for  a  little  rest ;  and  hav- 
ing decided  to  visit  the  continent,  left  London  on  the 
22d,  at  noon,  for  Paris,  arriving  there  at  11  o'clock, 
p.  M.,  of  the  same  day. 

Americans  are  becoming  as  familiar  with  Paris  as 
with  New  York,  by  personal  experience,  letters  from 
friends,  the  public  journals,  and  the  tourists'  pub- 
lished experiences ;  and  my  description  of  the  "  city 
of  luxury"  would  not  be  of  interest,  and  is  not 
needed. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHX  B.  GOUGH.     445 

We  took  rooms  at  the  Hotel  de  Louvre.  The  next 
morning  we  sallied  out  for  exploration,  and  "  did  "  the 
"  lions,"  as  rapidly  as  one  week  would  permit.  We 
obtained  our  meals  at  a  restaurant  in  the  "  Palais 
Royal "  for  the  first  two  days,  but  afterward  found  our 
way  to  Madame  Busques',  who  then  kept  a  small  eat- 
ing-house, famous  for  American  cookery.  On  her 
sign  were  the  words,  "  Specialte  de  Pumpkin  Pie,"  and 
very  delicious  we  found  them  ;  during  our  stay  in 
Paris,  we  patronized  Madame  B  usque  and  her  pump- 
kin pie. 

I  had  heard  so  much  of  the  sobriety  of  wine-grow- 
ing countries,  and  so  many  propositions  to  introduce 
wine  in  this  country  as  a  cure  for  drunkenness,  that  I 
determined  to  make  what  personal  observations '  I 
might  be  able,  during  a  very  brief  sojourn  on  the 
continent.  On  the  Boulevards  and  the  Champs 
Elysees,  we  saw  no  more  drunkenness  than  in  Broad- 
way or  Fifth  Avenue  ;  but  in  the  narrow  by-streets, 
back  of  the  main  thoroughfares,  I  discovered  as  many 
evidences  of  gross  dissipation,  as  in  Baxter  Street, 
New  York,  or  Bedford  Street,  Philadelphia. 

I  took  a  survey  of  several  of  the  low  cabarets,  and 
found  the  same  bloated  or  haggard  faces,  the  same 
steaming  rags,  the  same  bleared  and  blood-shot  eyes, 
the  same  evidence  of  drink-soaked  humanity  in  its 
degradation,  as  in  any  of  the  grog-shops  in  the 
United  States.  In  Geneva, — the  same;  we  were  kept 
awake  by  the  bacchanalian  revels  of  intoxicated 
men  in  the  streets  nearly  all  night.  In  Vevay,  I  saw 
more  evidences  of  drunkenness  than  in  any  town  of 
its  population  in  our  country.  In  Mayence,  a  fair 
was  held  while  we  were  there,  and  I  saw  more 


446     AUTOBIOGKAPHT  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

drunken  men  on  the  street,  and  in  the  square,  than 
I.  believe  were  to  be  seen  on  the  streets,  during  the 
whole  five  days  of  the  "Peace  Festival"  in  Boston. 
In  Basle,  and  in  Cologne,  it  was  the  same,  and  my 
impressions  are,  from  personal  observation,  (not  very 
extensive,)  that  drunkenness  prevails  in  the  wine- 
growing countries,  to  as  great  an  extent,  as  in  any 
portion  of  the  United  States  that  I  have  visited. 

My  friends  told  me  I  should  be  charmed  with  Paris; 
but  so  far  from  that,  I  disliked  it.  I  would  not  be  a 
resident  of  Paris,  with  my  present  convictions,  for  a 
fortune.  There  is,  I  am  aware,  delightful  society — 
refined,  elegant,  moral,  Christian ;  but  to  me,  the 
moral  atmosphere  of  Paris  did  not  seem  conducive  to 
spiritual  health ;  and  it  certainly  would  require  spe- 
cial grace  to  preserve  a  vigorous  spiritual  life  there. 
I  do  not  judge  others,  but  I  breathed  more  freely  as 
we  took  our  departure.  The  city  is  beautiful, — yes, 
magnificent,  and  well  worthy  of  all  admiration  for  its 
architecture,  its  broad  boulevards,  its  Madelaine,  and 
its  innumerable  objects  of  interest.  It  is  the  delight 
of  Americans.  They  never  weary  of  "Paris" — beau- 
tiful "  Paris " — and  I  have  been  criticised  for  want 
of  taste;  but  the  fact  still  remains — I  do  not  like 
Paris. 

We  left  for  Geneva  on  the  29th,  took  rooms  at  the 
Hotel  de  Metropoli,  and  remained  over  the  Sabbath; 
attended  the  English  church,  and,  on  Monday  August 
1st, — a  day  long  to  be  remembered — we  started  for 
Chamounix.  It  was  a  clear,  beautiful  morning.  We 
had  engaged  a  "voiture"  to  convey  us  there.  Al- 
though the  scenes  of  that  day  are  in  my  memory  so 
vividly,  and  I  have  passed  through  them  again  and 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     447 

again  in  my  imagination,  I  cannot  describe  them. 
New,  strange,  startling,  wonderful  they  were,  and  are 
to-day  in  their  remembrance. 

Soon  after  noon,  we  arrived  at  Sallenche,  and  while 
waiting  for  dinner,  and  a  change  of  our  voiture,  I 
strolled  out  with  our  two  friends ;  my  wife,  being 
weary,  remained  in  the  hotel.  Standing  together  on 
the  bridge,  I  said :  "  How  new  all  this  is  to  me — the 
mountains,  valleys,  waterfalls,  picturesque  villages, 
chalets — all  new  and  strange ;  the  sky  so  clear  and 
blue,  the  clouds  so  pure, — it  is  all  glorious.  What  a 
peculiar  cloud  that  is  behind  those  hills!  so  white,  so 
clearly  cut,  it  appears  almost  like — why,  it  is — yes — 
no  —  George — that  is  the  mountain — that  is  Mont 
Blanc !  I  know  it."  And  as  I  caught  the  first  view 
of  the  monarch  of  the  Alps,  I  trembled  with  excite- 
ment. With  tears  in  my  eyes,  and  my  heart  full,  I 
turned  away  to  hurry  Mary  out  to  enjoy  it  with  us. 

We  traveled  the  well-known  route  to  the  valley  of 
Chamounix.  As  we  passed  through  it,  toward  the 
village,  the  sun  sunk  behind  the  hills,  and  left  us  in 
shadow;  but  the  gorgeous  coloring  of  the  snow-clad 
mountains  filled  us  with  delight.  Ever-changing, 
ever-beautiful, — wave  after  wave  of  glory  seemed  to 
roll  over  the  summit,  growing  more  and  more  sub- 
dued, until,  with  one  flash  of  exquisite  beauty  from 
the  sun's  last  beam,  the  wonderful  outline  of  moun- 
tain-tops stood  relieved  by  the  dark  blue  sky — white, 
cold,  and  chastely  beautiful. 

We  arrived  at  the  "Hotel  d'Angleterre,"  where  we 
stayed  four  days,  (it  should  have  .been  four  weeks,) 
making  excursions  familiar  to  every  tourist.  The  first 
day  to  Montanvert,  the  next  to  the  summit  of  the 


448     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

Brevent.  We  started  on  this  excursion  with  a  guide, 
two  mules,  and  our  alpenstocks — more  ornamental 
than  useful,  like  the  dandy's  walking-stick — but  very 
pleasant  souvenirs.  At  the  Chalet  de  Planpras,  we 
left  our  mules,  and  after  a  lunch  of  bread  and  milk, 
ascended  by  the  "chimney,"  and  climbing  over  rocks, 
and  wading  through  snow,  reached  the  summit,  at  an 
altitude  of  eight  thousand  feet.  That  was  the  grand- 
est view  my  eyes  ever  rested  on.  Behind  us,  Sal- 
lenche,  with  its  bridge,  far  away  the  white  ridges  of 
the  Vaudois,  and  Bernese  Alps,  were  plainly  seen; 
below  us,  Chamounix,  like  a  nest  of  ant-hills;  the 
glacier  de  Bossons;  the  glaciers  d'Argenterre  andTa- 
conay;  the  river  Arverion,  rushing  from  its  source  at 
the  foot  of  the  Mer  de  Glace,  and  joining  the  Arve 
near  the  village,  then  like  a  stream  of  silver  flowing 
through  the  valley;  and  before  us,  the  Grand  Mulcts; 
and  higher  up,  the  snow-capped  king  of  the  Alps, 
with  the  Dome  de  Goute,  and  the  Aiguilles,  silent  in 
their  grandeur.  The  stillness,  so  profound,  was  only 
broken  by  the  crack  of  the  ice  in  some  glacier  miles 
away.  As  we  stood  there,  we  could  only  say  with 
David,  as  he  surveyed  the  glory  of  the  heavens, — 
"What  is  man,  that  Thou  art  mindful  of  him?"  and, 
feeling  our  own  insignificance,  amid  these  stupendous 
works  of  creation,  could  but  utter  thanksgiving,  that 
the  Creator  of  these  wonders,  the  Framer  of  this  Uni- 
verse is  God — and  "God  is  love;"  and  we,  who  are 
lost  in  wonder  and  awe  at  His  works,  may  come  to 
Him  and  say,  "Our  Father  which  art  in  Heaven." 

We  visited  the  glacier  de  Bossons  the  next  day, 
and  made  one  general  excursion  to  some  points  of  in- 
terest, and  left  for  Martigny  by  the  "Tete  Noir." 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH.  449 

Just  before  we  entered  the  tunnel,  we  experienced  a 
thunder-storm,  which  was  fearfully  grand;  but  we 
were  wet  to  the  skin,  and  hastened  to  the  "Chalet" 
to  change  our  clothing,  and  proceeded.  I  walked 
twenty-four  of  the  twenty-six  miles,  and  felt  but  lit- 
tle weariness.  The  mosquitoes  hi  the  valley  were 
very  annoying. 

On  Saturday,  the  6th,  we  left  for  Vevay ;  arriving 
there,  we  took  rooms  at  the  Hotel  du  Lac,  and  re- 
mained four  days.  We  visited  the  castle  of  Chillon, 
and,  standing  in  the  dungeon,  by  the  pillars,  were  re- 
minded of  Byron's  "Prisoner  of  Chillon."  At  Ve- 
vay, Mr.  Gould  left  us  for  a  pedestrian  tour,  and  we 
proceeded  to  Basle;  then  to  Mayence,  down  the 
Rhine  to  Cologne,  where  I  became  weary  of  sight- 
seeing, and  proposed  our  return  home — which  was 
acceded  to ;  and  passing  through  Lisle,  and  Calais,  we 
arrived  at  Edith  Grove  on  the  evening  of  Saturday, 
August  12th,  having  completed  our  continental  tour 
in  twenty-three  days. 

When  at  Vevay,  one  of  our  party  purchased  a  doll 
for  her  daughter,  and  that  dreadful  doll  was  my  "bete 
noir;"  for  at  every  custom  station,  that  wretched  doll 
would  be  dragged  out  of  the  trunk  by  an  official,  either 
by  the  leg,  the  arm,  or  the  head,  and  held  up,  as  if  in 
triumph,  with  such  lifting  of  the  eyebrows,  shrugging 
of  shoulders,  gesticulation,  and  jabber,  as  almost  drove 
me  wild.  I  could  only  say,  "  What  do  you  want  ? — 
am  I  to  pay  again? — keep  the  doll,  if  you  want  it," 
and  the  officer  would  grasp  the  miserable  thing  by 
the  middle,  and,  holding  it  up,  like  some  hard-won 
trophy,  shake  it  in  my  face,  making  "  extremes  meet/' 
as  the  head  and  heels  would  strike  together,  and  furi- 


450     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

ously  storm  at  me,  till  I  wished  the  doll  had  been 
drowned  in  Lake  Leman,  or  could  be  endued  with 
life,  and  paid  for  as  a  regular  passenger.  But  I  sur- 
vived, and  the  doll  was  brought  home.  Should  I 
ever  travel  again  on  the  continent,  and  by  any  mis- 
fortune, or  possibility,  be  induced  to  consent  that  a 
doll  should  be  placed  in  my  charge  to  convoy  through 
the  custom-houses,  I  give  warning,  that  doll  must 
be  clothed ;  for  I  never  will  again,  submit  to  the  in- 
dignity of  an  official  shaking  such  a  wretched  shape- 
less thing  in  my  face,  for  any  consideration. 

At  Basle,  I  walked  out  in  the  streets,  and  was  de- 
lighted to  hear  about  sixty  students  sing  in  the  open 
square.  It  was  very  fine. 

In  Cologne,  we  purchased — as  every  one  does,  or 
should  do — some  veritable  "Eau  de  Cologne,"  and 
visited  the  Cathedral.  We  saw  the  skulls  of  ten 
thousand  virgins — that  is,  we  saw  some  skulls.  The 
attendant  showed  us  a  small  cracked  jar,  carefully 
enclosed  in  a  case,  lined  with  crimson  velvet,  and  told 
us  that  was  one  of  the  jars  the  Saviour  filled  with 
wine  at  the  marriage  of  Cana.  My  wife  turned  away, 
and  he  said,  with  a  shrug,  "Americaine — hah!  not 
moosh  like  relique." 

This  "relic"  reminded  me  of  the  sword  that  was 
exhibited  as  Balaam's  sword,  with  which  he  slew  the 
ass. 

One  of  the  spectators  said:  "But  Balaam  did  not 
have  a  sword;  he  only  wished  for  one." 

"Ah!"  cried  the  showman,  "this  is  the  sword  he 
wished  for." 

Should  I  ever  visit  Europe  again,  I  hope  to  see 
more  of  the  continent.  I  can  only  give  my  first  im- 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     451 

pressions,  and  am  not  qualified  to  describe  the  peo- 
ple, their  customs,  or  habits,  with  accuracy,  from  so 
brief  and  rapid  a  tour. 

We  remained  at  our  home  in  London  till  August 
30th;  then  I  commenced  my  work,  and  continued 
steadily  in  England  till  October  3d,  when  we  crossed" 
to  Dublin — our  first  visit  to  Ireland.  We  passed  at 
once  to  Belfast,  delivering  four  lectures  there,  and 
two  in  Londonderry,  when  we  returned  to  Dublin  for 
three  lectured.  We  were  very  kindly  entertained  by 
Rev.  John  Hall, — now  Rev.  Dr.  Hall  of  New  York 
City, — who,  with  his  excellent  lady,  made  our  visit 
there  very  pleasant.  We  proceeded  to  Cork  for  two 
lectures,  then  back  to  Belfast,  and  from  there  to  Glas- 
gow, remaining  in  Scotland  till  December  3d,  when 
we  bade  farewell  to  the  "land  o'cakes,"  and  entered 
on  the  last  few  months  of  our  engagement  in  England. 

We  made  our  farewell  visit  to  Dundee,  on  Novem- 
ber 5th,  where  we  had  gained  many  friends,  of  whom  I 
am  constantly  reminded  by  a  chaste  silver  inkstand, 
— presented  to  me  on  my  first  visit, — which  now 
stands,  both  useful  and  ornamental,  on  my  library 
table. 

We  visited  Perth  on  the  10th,  Aberdeen  the  14th, 
15th,  and  19th;  then  by  Stranraer,  Wigton,  and  Cas- 
tle Douglas,  to  Waterbeck, — that  being  the  last  place 
in  Scotland  where  I  spoke,  excepting  the  farewell 
speech  and  soiree  in  Glasgow,  February  21,  and  22, 
1860, — and  from  there,  direct,  to  London. 

About  the  last  of  September,  Mr.  George  Gladwin, 
having  arrived  in  London,  to  pursue  his  studies  as  an 
artist,  and  being  lonely  in  that  great  city,  called  on 
us.  I  met  him  at  the  door,  and  bade  him  welcome ; 


452     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

for  some  time  he  was  an  inmate  of  our  family  there. 
We  formed  a  strong  attachment  to  him  then,  which 
has  increased  year  by  year,  and  he  is  now  one  of  our 
most  intimate  and  valued  friends — always  welcome  ; 
he  is  "one  of  us." 

I  continued  the  next  year  in  England  till  February 
20th,  when  we  went  to  Glasgow  for  a  farewell ;  then 
to  Ireland  for  eighteen  days ;  back  to  England,  giv- 
ing farewell  addresses,  and  visiting  friends  till  the  last 
meeting  in  London,  on  Wednesday,  August  8th,  when 
we  left  for  Liverpool,  giving  the  last  lecture  in  Great 
Britain,  in  Concert  Hall,  on  the  10th,  and  embarking 
on  the  steamer  Arabia,  for  home,  on  the  llth  of 
August,  1860. 

My  impressions  of  Ireland  I  hope  to  give  on  a  future 
page. 

I  wish  particularly  to  allude  to  the  last  meeting 
in  London.  Several  American  friends  were  present, 
among  them,  Rev.  Dr.  Cheever,  and  Hon.  Ichabod 
Washburn  of  Worcester.  Those  who  had  signed  the 
pledge  in  Exeter  Hall,  had  subscribed  for  a  Bible,  to  be 
presented  on  the  last  evening  I  should  lecture  there. 
I  had  spoken  ninety-five  times  in  that  Hall,  and  on 
the  ninety-sixth  and  last,  the  Bible  was  presented. 

It  was  one  of  the  largest  audiences  I  had  met  there. 
It  was  very  exciting  to  me,  and  I  was  more  nearly 
overcome,  than  I  remember  ever  to  have  been  on  any 
other  occasion.  My  dear  friend,  George  Cruikshank, 
presided;  Judge  Payne,  of  the  Court  of  Quarter  Ses- 
sions, was  appointed  to  present  the  Bible;  my  first 
English  friends,  true,  tried,  and  faithful,  were  there ; — 
dear  Tweedie,  Campbell,  Howlett,  the  brothers  John 
and  Joseph  Taylor,  Spriggs,  Hugh  Owen, — with  many 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     453 

others  from  the  London  societies,  and  from  the  Prov- 
inces. 

When  the  Bible  was  presented,  I  rose  to  reply,  and 
no  school-boy,  on  his  first  appearance,  could  have  felt 
more  embarrassed.  I  knew  not  what  to  say.  At 
last,  I  said:  "My  dear  friends,  as  I  look  at  this  splen- 
did testimonial  of  your  good  will — rich  in  morocco 
and  gold — beautiful  as  a  work  of  art  and  skill — I 
think  of  another  book,  a  little  one,  broken,  torn,  rag- 
ged, and  imperfect, — you  would  hardly  pick  it  up  in 
the  street;  but  to  me,  precious  as  is  your  gift  to-night, 
more*  precious  is  that  little  book.  On  the  illuminated 
fly-leaf  of  this,  I  read: — ' Presented  August  8,  1860, 
to  John  B.  Gough,  on  his  leaving  England  for  Amer- 
ica, by  those  only,  who  signed  the  pledge  after  hear- 
ing him  in  Exeter  Hall,  London.'  On  the  brown, 
mildewed  fly-leaf  of  the  other  book,  are  these  words : 
'  Jane  Gough,  born  August  12,  1776.  John  Gough, 
born  August  22,  1817.  The  gift  of  his  mother,  on 
his  departure  from  England  for  America.'  Two  gifts 
and  two  departures!" 

As  I  began  to  review  the  past  experiences  since  I 
left  home,  thirty-one  years  before,  the  flood  of  recol- 
lections came  over  me,  combined  with  the  tender 
associations  connected  with  farewell,  and  I  stammered, 
became  nervous,  and  unable  to  proceed.  As  I  stood 
there,  the  unshed  tears  filling  my  eyes,  Thomas  Irv- 
ing White  rose,  and  taking  me  by  the  hand,  said: 
"God  bless  him!  Give  him  three  cheers."  And  the 
audience  started  to  their  feet,  and  with  waving  of 
hats,  and  handkerchiefs,  gave  them  with  a  will.  That 
unsealed  the  fountain,  and  I  bowed  my  head  and  cried 
like  a  very  boy. 


454  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH. 

Mr.  Tabraham  was  called  on  to  pray,  and  afterward, 
the  exercises  were  continued,  and  I  told  them  that 
this  splendid  book  should  occupy  an  honored  place 
in  my  home ;  but  the  little  old  battered  Bible  of  my 
mother  should  lie  by  its  side.  And  there  they  do  lie, 
on  a  table  procured  for  the  purpose — the  two  books 
— to  remain  together,  as  mementos  of  the  past,  and 
the  realities  of  the  present,  till  God  shall  call  me. 

The  first  two  years  in  Great  Britain,  I  delivered 
438  lectures,  and  traveled  23,224  miles;  the  last 
three  years,  605  lectures,  and  40,217  miles;  making 
1,043  public  addresses,  and  63,441  miles  travel. 

On  the  morning  of  our  departure,  several  hundred 
friends  assembled  at  the  "  London  and  North-western  " 
station.  George  Cruikshank  brought  me  a  painting 
of  a  scene  in  the  Life  of  Joe  Grimaldi.  I  prized  it 
for  the  artist,  and,  because  it  is,  I  believe,  the  only 
painting  in  the  United  States  from  his  pencil. 

The  Earl  of  Shaftesbury  sent  a  pocket  edition  of 
the  Psalms,  with  the  following  note  : 

"Dear  Mr.  Gough, — It  would  give  me  much  pleasure  to  see  you 
again,  and  to  hear  you  again ;  but  under  the  extreme  pressure  of  busi- 
ness, both  on  you  and  on  me,  this  is,  I  fear,  impossible.  May  God  be 
with  you,  now  and  forever,  in  all  your  labors  and  prayers  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  Christ's  kingdom.  Yours  truly,  SHAFTESBTJRY. 

"  Pray  accept  a  little  book  for  the  pocket,  the  contents,  and  nothing 
else,  make  it  valuable." 

Many  brought  me  loving  testimonials,  and  scores 
of  letters  were  placed  in  my  hands,  and  amid  the 
hearty  "God  bless  you's"  and  a  warm  clasping  of 
hands,  we  left  those  with  whom  we  had  been  in  pleas- 
ant and  constant  communion  for  three  years. 

Before  I  turn  to  the  record  of  my  remaining  work 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     455 

in  this  country,  I  desire,  as  far  as  space  will  permit, 
to  give  some  impressions  received  during  my  five 
years'  residence  in  Great  Britain.  I  shall  be  com- 
pelled to  pass  by  a  large  amount  of  material  collected 
during  my  explorations  in  London, — much  to  my  re- 
gret,— or  I  should  swell  my  book  far  beyond  the 
bounds  prescribed,  and  perhaps  prove  tedious  to  my 
readers. 

NOTE  TO  PAGE  442. — I  once  saw  a  wretched,  battered,  drink-soaked  speci- 
men, curiously  wedged  in  a  barrel,  delighting  the  spectators  by  waving  a  di- 
lapidated hat,  and  shouting,  "  Hurra  for  our  glorious  rights  and  privileges  ! " 
A  gentleman  present  sent  me  a  sketch  of  the  scene  as  I  described  it,  which  is 
inserted  on  page  476. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Society  in  Great  Britain — Toadyism — The  Nobility — The  State  Dinner 
— Aristocracy  of  Blood — Aristocracy  of  Wealth — Temptations  In- 
cident to  these  Classes — Social  Evil  in  Great  Britain — Lines  of  Di- 
vision— "  Gentility  " — "  Only  a  Mechanic  " — English  Factories — The 
Harvest  Home — "  Beer  in  Moderation  " — English  Sports — Benches 
for  the  "  Colic  " — Condition  of  the  Laboring  Classes. 

SOCIETY  in  Great  Britain,  is  divided  into  three 
classes, — nobility,  gentry,  (among  whom  rank  the 
clergy,)  and  the  public  generally.  These  again  are 
divided,  and  sub-divided,  to  an  almost  illimitable  ex- 
tent. My  work  brought  me  constantly  in  contact 
with  the  public  generally,  often  with  the  gentry,  and 
very  seldom  with  the  aristocracy.  Though  the  rever- 
ence for  mere  rank  is  dying  out,  still  there  is  a  def- 
erence paid  to  "my  lord;"  and  to  be  seen  on  the 
sunny  side  of  Pall  Mall  in  the  height  of  the  season, 
arm  in  arm  with  a  live  lord,  would  repay  some  men 
for  any  amount  of  toadyism. 

Though  we  in  a  republican  country  ridicule  the 
toadyism  and  flunkeyism  of  Great  Britain,  there  is 
just  as  much  here  as  there.  Many  Americans  would 
feel  nattered  by  attention  from  a  lord,  and  bow  as 
low  to  the  title  as  any  in  England.  Indeed,  I  think 
among  many  circles  in  our  country,  there  is  full  as 
much  real  snobbery,  as  is  to  be  found  anywhere. 
How  much  planning  and  maneuvering  there  is,  to  se- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH.          .457 

cure  the  presence  of  a  lord  at  the  fashionable  parties 
in  New  York,  and  other  cities,  we  all  know. 

I  have  heard  of  the  great  affability  of  the  nobility, 
but  I  must  confess,  that  in  my  limited  experience  of 
them  I  have  found,  with  some  exceptions,  an  inde- 
scribable sort  of  "  touch  me  not,"  a  kind  of  "you  may 
look  but  you  must  not  touch."  Perhaps  it  was  ow- 
ing to  my  education  and  early  experiences,  but  I 
never  could  feel  as  entirely  at  my  ease  with  a  lord  as 
with  a  commoner.  I  can  better  convey  my  meaning 
by  an  extract  from  a  popular  writer:  "Aristocracy 
appears  in  the  form  of  self-sufficiency  j  the  aristocrat 
needs  no  other  human  being,  he  has  everything  in 
himself.  Whatever  comes  to  him  is  accepted  gra- 
ciously, but  must  never  assert  its  claim  to  the  charac- 
ter of  a  necessity." 

Some  of  our  Americans  have  recorded  their  delight 
at  the  affability  of  "My  lord,"  when  the  same  cour- 
tesy received  from  an  untitled  gentleman,  would  have 
passed  unnoticed,  perhaps.  I  was  always  treated 
kindly  by  them,  and  have  no  fault  to  find ;  but  my 
experience  has  been  very  limited.  The  Earl  of 
Shaftesbury,  and  some  other  noblemen,  were  very 
kind  to  me,  and  I  was  invited  to  call  on  them,  which 
I  never  could  find  an  opportunity  of  doing,  and  there- 
fore cannot  tell  how  much  I  should  feel  at  home  with 
them  in  their  own  family  circle ;  but  I  have  ever 
found  that  when  an  Englishman  invites  you  to  his 
house,  while  there — however  stiff  he  may  be  else- 
where— tie  becomes  the  courteous  host. 

I  was  at  one  time  the  invited  guest  of  a  gentleman, 
not  himself  a  nobleman,  but  allied  to  the  nobility,  and 
at  whose  house  I  met  three  or  four  titled  persons. 


458,  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN   B.  GOUGH. 

He  had  been  a  colonel  in  the  army — (a  colonel's  uni- 
form gives  the  wearer  the  entree  to  the  best  society, 
and  the  difference  between  a  colonel  and  a  private 
soldier,  is  almost  immeasurable).  I  felt  embarrassed 
when  first  introduced,  by  a  footman  in  livery,  to  the 
drawing-room ;  but  that  soon  wore  off,  and  we  went  in 
to  dinner.  A  right  honorable  lady,  with  two  fingers 
of  her  white  glove  resting  on  the  sleeve  of  my  coat, 
was  escorted  by  me  to  the  dining-room.  When  there, 
all  my  trepidation  returned,  so  I  thought  I  would  do 
as  others  did,  and  I  got  on  tolerably  well;  but  that 
almost  interminable  dinner!  how  rejoiced  I  was  when 
it  was  over!  I  did  not  like  the  footmen.  This  was 
nearly  my  first  experience  of  them,  but  I  became 
more  accustomed  to  them  afterwards.  In  fact,  I  have 
heard  persons  say,  they  stood  more  in  awe  of  the 
flunkey  than  of  the  master.  Two  carriages  were 
filled,  and  we  started  for  the  lecture.  On  our  return, 
the  conversation  became  quite  animated,  I  answering 
all  the  questions  I  could  about  America,  when  the 
colonel  said :  "  By-the-bye,  Mr.  Gough,  I  believe  your 
father  was  a  soldier." 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  In  what  regiment  ?  " 

"The  Forty-eighth  and  Fifty-second  Light  In- 
fantry." 

"Ah!"  said  he,  "the  Fifty-second — my  old  regi- 
ment. In  what  year  was  your  father  in  the  Fifty- 
second  ?" 

"I  do  not  know  exactly  the  year,  but  he  was  at 
Talavera,  and  Badajos  with  the  Fifty-second." 

"Yes,  but  that  was  before  my  time.  Was  your 
father  ever  at  Shorncliffe  ? " 


ft 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     459 

"Yes,  sir.  I  know  he  was  at  ShornclifFe,  for  he 
married  my  mother  when  his  regiment  was  lying 
there,  and  I  remember  going  to  see  him  at  Shorncliffe, 
when  I  was  a  boy." 

"Then  I  was  your  father's  Colonel.  What  was 
your  father's  rank  in  the  army?" 

"Private  soldier,  sir." 

I  looked  closely  at  him,  to  see  if  his  countenance 
fell, — but  no ;  smiling,  he  held  out  his  hand,  and  said : 
"  I  am  glad  to  welcome  a  son  of  one  of  my  old  sol- 
diers to  C- Hall,"  and  treated  me  with  as  much 

courtesy,  apparently,  as  though  I  had  been  the  son  of 
an  officer. 

That  was  a  true  gentleman,  who,  by  his  courtesy, 
relieved  me  from  all  embarrassment 

There  are  those  in  Great  Britain,  who  are  not  of 
the  nobility,  yet  are  prouder  than  many  of  them,  and 
almost  look  with  contempt  at  some  of  the  newly- 
created  nobles.  We  were  at  one  time  guests  of  one 
of  these  old  families,  who  boasted  that  they  had  been 
in  possession  of  their  lands  for  a  thousand  years — an 
old  Saxon  family,  dating  before  William  the  Con- 
queror, who,  said  the  old  lady,  was  "an  old  rascal, 
who  took  from  us  the  greater  portion  of  our  lands." 
They  trace  their  ancestors  back  for  ten  centuries,  and 
down  by  an  unbroken  succession  to  the  present  time. 
Standing  in  the  grand  old  hall,  hung  round  with  ar- 
mor, and  emblazoned  with  coats  of  arms,  I  asked 
when  it  was  built,  and  was  told,  "Just  before  the  ac- 
cession of  William,  nearly  eight  hundred  years  since," 
"but,"  said  the  gentleman,  "the  south  wing  is  quite 
modern;  it  is  but  a  hundred  and  fifty  years  since 
that  was  built."  Much  of  the  old  style  was  kept  up 
29 


460     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

in  this  family.  When  dinner  was  announced,  the 
butler,  in  plain  clothes,  looking  very  much  like  a 
parson,  entered  and  presented  to  the  gentleman  on 
a  salver,  a  bouquet  in  a  silver  holder,  who  at  once 
presented  it  to  his  wife,  who  took  it  with  her  to 
the  table.  Then,  in  the  morning  we  were  invited 
to  the  lady's  boudoir,  where  she  sat  in  state,  and 
two  maidens,  one  sewing  and  the  other  reading,  re- 
minded us  of  the  legends  of  the  olden  time.  These 
were  plain  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  yet  holding  state  and  po- 
sition, with  such  families  as  the  Marquis  of  West- 
minster. 

Their  division  of  society  into  sets  and  circles,  is 
similar  to  ours,  but  the  lines  are  drawn  closer,  and 
are  more  clearly  defined.  We  have  an  aristocracy  of 
wealth,  they  of  blood.  Money  will  not  purchase  ad- 
mission to  the  inner  circle  of  the  so-called  higher 
class ;  blood  and  birth  will.  Here,  money  is  the  key 
to  unlock  the  door,  and  an  entrance  to  almost  any 
circle  may  be  obtained  by  it.  Of  course,  in  speaking 
of  the  two  aristocracies  of  wealth  and  blood,  I  do  not 
forget  that  grand  aristocracy  of  intellect  and  moral 
worth,  recognized  as  the  true  aristocracy  the  world 
over.  But  how  many  men  in  this  country  are  not 
only  tolerated,  but  received  with  open  arms  by  fash- 
ionable society,  simply  and  solely  because  they  are 
rich.  They  have  no  other  recommendation  but  the 
length  of  their  purse — who,  if  they  were  poor,  would 
be  thrust  with  scorn  and  contempt  from  the  threshold 
of  that  circle  which  now  embraces  them!  And  in 
England,  the  nobleman,  or  man  of  rank,  is  often  ap- 
plauded for,  or  at  all  events  tolerated  in,  an  offense 
against  society,  when  a  mechanic,  or  a  laborer,  would 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     461 

be  driven  into  a  jail.  Their  worship  of  rank  is  equal 
to  our  worship  of  mammon. 

One  day  Boswell  assured  Dr.  Johnson  that  if  he 
was  invited  on  the  same  day  to  dine  with  the  first  Duke 
in  England,  and  the  first  genius,  he  should  hesitate 
which  to  choose.  Johnson  said :  "  To  be  sure,  sir,  if 
you  were  to  dine  only  once,  and  it  were  never  to  be 
known  where  you  dined,  you  would  choose  rather  to 
dine  with  the  first  man  of  genius;  but  to  gain  respect, 
you  should  dine  with  the  first  Duke  in  England ;  for 
nine  people  out  of  ten  you  meet  with,  would  have 
a  higher  opinion  of  you  for  having  dined  with  a 
Duke,  and  the  great  genius  himself  would  receive 
you  better,  because  you  had  been  with  the  great 
DukeJ' 

There  is  a  fascination  that  is  perfectly  astonishing, 
and  almost  mysterious,  in  the  approach  even  to  mere 
acquaintance  with  the  nobility.  Occasionally  a  rich 
man  makes  his  way  into  the  charmed  circle  by  mar- 
riage; but  he  cannot  take  the  title  belonging  to  his 
wife,  and  it  will  always  be  Mr.  and  Lady  so-and-so. 
A  genius  may  now  and  then  be  tolerated,  and  might 
be  oftener,  if  genius  could  stoop  to  patronage ;  but  the 
spirit  of  aristocracy  is  essentially  exclusive ;  like  the 
barber  who  shaved  bakers,  but  turned  up  his  nose  at 
coal-heavers,  they  must  draw  the  line  somewhere. 

A  great  emperor  once  admitted  an  artist  to  his 
presence  before  a  nobleman.  The  latter  complained  ; 
the  emperor  replied :  "  I  can  make  ten  such  noblemen 
to-morrow,  but  God  alone  can  make  an  artist." 

Coppuck,  the  great  electioneering  agent  of  the  Lib- 
eral party,  said :  "  Give  me  a  liberal  lord,  and  I  can 
do  anything." 


462     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

A  poor,  faded,  miserable  woman,  with  some  trace  of 
beauty  lingering  in  her  face,  in  spite  of  a  long  career 
of  sin,  one  day  at  a  London  police  office  was  charged 
with  assaulting  a  noble  lord !  What  was  her  crime  ? 
She  had  waited  for  his  lordship's  coming  out  of  his 
club,  waited  till  long  past  midnight,  cold  and  wretched, 
ragged,  and  starving,  she  had  prayed  his  lordship  for 
a  shilling  wherewith  to  purchase  food  and  shelter  for 
the  night.  What  was  her  defense?  Years  and  years 
ago,  when  she  was  very  young,  his  lordship  had 
wronged  her  foully.  Of  course  with  that  wrong  the 
magistrate  had  nothing  to  do,  and  she  was  sent  to 
jail;  and  her  accuser  is  still  honored;  the  sinner 
lives  in  his  luxurious  club,  quaffs  his  costly  wine, 
is  cringed  to,  or  looked  up  to  as  a  pillar  of  society 
(rather  a  caterpillar),  while  she — the  dishonored  and 
discarded — her  innocence  and  beauty  blasted — walks 
the  streets  at  midnight,  is  thrown  away  as  a  worth- 
less weed,  rots  and  dies  in  work-house,  hospital,  or  jail, 
or,  not  unlikely,  in  the  turbid  waters  of  the  Thames, 
she  vainly  seeks  the  peace  or  oblivion  denied  her 
here. 

Most  assuredly,  I  would  not  infer  that  the  aristoc- 
racy are  vile  and  vicious,  or  that  evil  is  always  to  be 
traced  to  them.  There  are  most  noble  Christian  gen- 
tlemen among  them, — true  noblemen,  in  the  highest 
sense  of  that  term ;  men  who  recognize  the  claims  of 
humanity.  Lord  Shaftesbury  and  others,  who  spent 
whole  nights  in  the  haunts  of  vice  and  poverty,  to 
relieve,  and  ameliorate  the  condition  of  the  poor,  and 
the  outcast.  But  the  nobility  are  exposed  to  strong 
temptation.  The  prayer  of  Agar,  "  Give  me  neither 
poverty  nor  riches,"  was  a  wise  one ;  for  the  very 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     463 

poor  in  their  poverty,  and  the  rich  in  their  wealth, 
are  exposed  to  temptation  unknown  to  the  more 
favored  class,  by  whom  this  prayer  is  realized. 

It  stands  to  reason,  that  if  you  set  a  class  of  men 
above  all  others  in  position,  relieve  them  of  responsi- 
bility in  a  great  measure,  teach  them  that  they  are 
the  lilies  of  creation,  who  need  "neither  toil  nor  spin," 
it  stands  to  reason,  I  say,  that,  when  young  and 
thoughtless,  and  their  blood  is  hot,  with  means  at  their 
command  to  engage  in  dissipation,  and  to  prevent 
detection,  or  to  shield  them  when  detected, — they 
should  plunge  into  vice. 

Dr.  Watts'  lines,  so  familiar,  are  true,  that 

"Satan  finds  some  mischief  still 
For  idle  hands  to  do." 

And  equally  true  it  is,  that  honest  labor,  with  the 
hands  or  head,  is  the  only  condition  of  healthy  life. 
Idle  men  are  often  vicious,  and  when  idle  men  are 
noblemen  in  England,  or  wealthy  men's  sons  in 
America,  they  often  fall  into  vice,  and  thus  it  becomes 
fashionable. 

While  I  was  in  London,  a  testimonial  was  presented 
to  a  man  who  has  dared  perhaps  more  than  any 
other,  to  make  vice  attractive.  I  speak  of  the  man- 
ager and  proprietor  of  the  "  Argyll  Eooms,"  where 
music  and  dancing  are  carried  on  every  night — "  ad- 
mission, gentlemen  one  shilling,  ladies  free,"  and 
where  no  reputable  woman  enters ;  rooms  which  for 
one  year,  the  magistrates  very  properly  refused  to 
license.  Actually,  a  lord  presided  at  the  dinner 
and  presented  the  testimonial.  No  wonder  London 
abounds  in  "Traviatas"  in  the  parks,  theaters,  and 
fashionable  streets.  The  terrible  "social  evil,"  like 


464     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

everything  else  in  London,  is  on  the  most  gigantiw 
scale;  it  is  a  question  that  can  never  be  settled  by 
figures;  and  so  long  as  women 'can  barely  exist  in 
virtuous  industry, — so  long  as  there  are  rich  and 
fashionable  men  to  sanction  vice, — so  long  as  young 
blood  becomes  fevered  by  the  influence  of  strong 
drink, — so  long  as  young  men  and  women  dare  not 
marry,  as  their  parents  did,  and  bravely  and  nobly 
fight  the  battle  of  life, — so  long  will  the  social  evil 
in  England,  and  in  this  country,  continue  to  be  a  social 
blot,  tainting  society — a  frightful  source  of  sin  and 
misery. 

In  London,  these  things  are  carried  on  with  some 
degree  of  method,  by  dancing  saloons,  tea  gardens, 
"Highbury  Barn,"  «  Cremorne,"  the  "Argyll"  and 
"Holborn"  casinoes,  and  many  other  places,  almost 
solely  devoted  to  the  progress  of  vice;  and  in  our 
following  their  example,  we  have,  in  one  respect, 
gone  far  beyond  them  in  the  shameful  exposures  on 
the  boards  of  our  metropolitan  theaters. 

All  honor  to  Miss  Olive  Logan,  for  her  fearless  at- 
tack on  this  social  outrage  against  decency.  Much, 
very  much  is  doing  in  London  to  remedy  the  evil, 
and  when  I  come  to  speak  of  my  experience  in  the 
great  metropolis,  I  shall  allude  to  these  efforts. 

One  word  more :  It  may  be  thought  that  I  judge 
the  aristocracy  of  England  too  harshly.  I  did  not 
intend  to  judge  them  at  all,  but  simply  to  write  what 
I  believe  to  be  the  truth;  and  I  must  refer  here  to 
one  who  is  at  the  head  of  all  the  aristocracy  of  Eng- 
land, and  for  whom  I  can  pray  as  heartily  as  any  of 
her  subjects,  "God  save  the  Queen."  As  wife,  wid- 
ow, daughter,  and  mother,  without  reproach, — influ- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     465 

encing  to  a  large  extent,  as  the  purest  woman  who 
ever  sat  on  the  British  throne,  the  conduct  of  so 
many  by  whom  she  is  surrounded,  and  by  whose  in- 
fluence the  court  of  England  has  become  the  purest 
court  in  Europe. 

Among  the  gentry — composed  of  landed  proprie1 
tors,  magistrates,  clergymen,  retired  merchants,  and 
others — you  find  division,  and  sub-division  lines  care- 
fully drawn;  for  while  the  merchant,  who  sells  at 
wholesale,  or  transacts  business  in  an  office,  if  it  is 
only  "seven  by  nine,"  is  invited,  no  retail  trader  or 
shop-keeper  is  admitted  to  their  circle.  They  have 
an  abhorrence  of  the  shop,  though  they  have  been 
styled  "a  nation  of  shop-keepers." 

I  was  once  invited  to  a  dinner  party;  in  conversa- 
tion with  a  friend  I  asked:  "Is  Mr.  K.  to  be  there?" 

"  0,  no !  he's  a  shop-keeper,"  was  the  reply. 

"But,"  I  said,  "he  is  a  justice  of  the  peace." 

"I  know  he  is ;  but  he  is  a  shop-keeper." 

"  He  is  a  splendid  fellow,  and  what  has  the  shop  to 
do  with  the  invitation  ?  " 

"  I  know  that  he  will  not  be  invited." 

Determined  to  push  the  point,  I  said:  "He  comes 
from  a  very  respectable  family :  his  father  farms  his 
own  lands." 

"  That  is  true ;  but  he  is  a  ^hop-keeper,  and  stands 
behind  the  counter." 

"  He  is  wealthy,  talented,  popular,  and  president  of 
one  or  two  associations." 

"I  know  all  this,  my  dear  fellow,  but  it  won't  do. 
If,  by  the  votes  of  the  people  he  should  become  his 
worship  the  mayor,  or  the  lord  provost  of  the  bor- 
ough, he  would  by  virtue  of  his  office  sit  with  gentle- 


466     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

men ;  but  as  a  simple  shop-keeper,  however  popular 
he  may  be,  he  would  not  be  tolerated." 

"Ah!  I  see — but  Mr.  M.  is  to  be  there." 

"  Oh !  yes,  but  he  has  left  the  shop,  and  is  secretary 
to  an  institution,  and  therefore  is  a  professional  gen- 
tleman now." 

I  said,  "But  I  am  invited — a  book-binder  by  trade, 
the  son  of  a  private  soldier,  and  a  temperance  lecturer." 

"That's  it,"  said  my  friend,  "you  are  a  professional 
man.  Military  officers,  and  professional  men  are  in- 
vited, but  not  a  mere  shop-keeper, — unless  he  is  a 
foreigner,  and  then  we  are  not  supposed  to  know 
anything  of  his  position,  only  his  respectability." 

That  term  respectable  is  a  favorite  one.  "Is  he 
respectable?"  "A  most  respectable  audience."  "A 
very  respectable  person."  But  the  term  is  hard  to 
define.  When  a  witness  was  asked  how  he  knew  a 
certain  person  was  respectable,  he  replied :  "Because 
he  drives  a  gig."  And  another  stated  that  he  knew 
"  she  was  respectable,  because  she  carried  a  parasol 
and  wore  a  wail." 

One  evidence  of  respectability  in  certain  sets  is,  to 
go  to  the  sea-side  in  the  summer;  and  some  who  can- 
not afford  it,  draw  down  their  blinds  and  attend  a  dif- 
ferent place  of  worship,  to  make  their  neighbors  be- 
lieve they  are  at  the  sea-side  during  the  season. 

Even  at  the  watering-places,  these  lines  of  division 
are  drawn;  for  at  the  principal  summer  resorts,  such 
as  Scarboro,'  Brighton,  and  Ramsgate,  there  are  gen- 
erally three  seasons,  one  for  nobility,  one  for  gentry, 
and  one  for  the  public  generally, — who  take  it  first, 
say  in  July, — gentry  in  August  and  September,  and 
the  nobility  from  October  to  the  Christmas  holidays; 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     467 

and  the  same  lodgings  can  be  obtained  for  half  the 
price  in  July,  that  is  charged  in  October. 

The  term  "  genteel,"  is  a  favorite  also.  Great  im- 
portance is  attaehed  to  gentility  :  "  Let  us  be  genteel 
or  die,"  was  a  pet  expression  of  Mrs.  Kichley.  A 
fashionable  lady,  with  her  daughters,  on  approaching 
the  church  door,  and  finding  she  could  not  enter,  ow- 
ing to  the  crowd,  exclaimed :  "Well  my  dears,  we 
have  done  the  genteel  thing."  Better  break  the  com- 
mandments than  violate  the  laws  of  gentility.  This 
gentility  is  wonderfully  hard  to  define,  and  some  who 
live  under  its  sway,  and  bow  to  its  slightest  demands, 
cannot  tell  exactly  what  it  is. 

At  my  lectures,  and  at  public  entertainments,  the 
charges  were  graduated  according  to  the  social  posi- 
tion of  persons  who  occupied  the  seats, — except  when 
entertainments  were  given  exclusively  for  a  certain 
class — first  class,  five  shillings,  or  half  a  crown,  as  it 
might  be ;  second  class  one  shilling,  and  working 
classes  sixpence. 

We  have  hardly  arrived  at  the  point  of  separating 
the  working  classes  from  all  others  in  this  way,  though 
we  shall  probably  come  to  it,  I  fear,  by-and-bye ;  but 
it  would  not  do  now. 

I  once  attended  a  concert,  and  was  attracted  by  the 
almost  dazzling  appearance  of  a  gentleman  with  a 
lady  in  the  reserved  seats ; — white  kid  gloves,  diamond 
studs,  what  the  English  would  call  a  "natty"  opera 
glass,  and  dressed  in  the  highest  style. 

At  first,  I  thought  he  was  "somebody  in  particular," 
till  on  looking  at  him  more  closely,  I  recognized  the 
gentleman  who  had  measured  me  for  two  dozen  shirts, 
but  a  few  days  before.  I  was  glad  to  see  him  there, 


468     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

and  I  trust  the  day  will  be  far  distant,  when  honorable 
industry  shall  not  be  permitted  to  sit  side  by  side 
with  honorable  wealth  and  leisure. 

But  for  all  that,  our  fashionables  .and  our  would- 
bes,  seem  to  grow  more  contemptuous  in  their  treat- 
ment of  work  and  workers.  "Only  a  mechanic," — 
yes,  my  dainty  madam,  "only  a  mechanic;"  a  more 
honorable  position  than  to  be  gambling  in  stocks,  or 
shaving  notes  for  the  needy  at  high  interest.  Their 
fingers  may  be  soiled  by  hard  work,  but  far  better 
that,  than  to  be  soiled  by  usury.  Perhaps  your  father, 
or  grandfather  pursued  the  honorable  calling  of  rag- 
picking  in  the  streets, — and  none  the  worse  for  that; 
or  perhaps  he  made  a  fortune  by  petroleum  compa- 
nies, and  swindled  poor  women  out  of  their  hard- 
earned  savings  by  bogus  oil-claims, — very  much  the 
worse  for  that.  He  may  have  carried  the  hod,  and 
been  quite  respectable  and  honorable ;  but  if  he  sold 
rum  to  the  wretched  victim  of  drunkenness,  he  could 
hardly  have  been  that. 

Your  mother  or  grandmother  may  have  opened 
oysters  for  a  living,  or  worked  in  the  kitchen  when 
young, — both  honorable  employments,  and  you  are 
none  the  worse  for  that.  The  money  earned  in  hon- 
orable employment,  however  humble,  is  clean.  "  Only 
a  mechanic,"  yes,  only.  I  had  rather  be  a  hard-handed 
mechanic,  with  the  marks  of  toil  on  me,  than  the  per- 
fumed useless  dandy  upon  whom  you  lavish  smiles, 
while  you  have  nought  but  contempt  for  the  honest, 
hard-working  mechanic.  Yes,  young  lady,  I  would 
prefer  your  contempt  to  your  smiles,  or  friendship,  if 
you  would  despise  me,  because  I  was  a  worker,  rather 
than  an  idler. 


ATJTOBIOGKAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH.  469 

"Oh,  she  lives  outP*  That  is  enough.  Not  only 
men  and  women  (if  they  deserve  the  names)  who 
through  all  their  years,  never  step  below  the  surface 
of  life ;  but  Christian  men  and  Christian  women — 
or  those  who  profess  to  be  such — recognize  the  bar- 
rier which  society  has  builded  here.  No  matter  how 
lovely  or  intelligent  a  young  girl  may  be, — if  she 
comes  under  this  ban  in  any  way,  it  all  goes  for 
naught.  Daughters  are  educated  to  understand  this, 
and  they  are  apt  pupils.  Is  it  any  marvel  so  many 
of  them  are  helpless,  and  shallow,  and  incapable  of 
true  living  ?  Is  it  any  marvel  there  are  so  few  women 
capable  of  supporting  themselves  when  left  destitute  ? 
Every  young  girl  can  see,  that  working  for  one's 
living,  if  a  woman,  puts  a  brand  on  her  forehead ; 
and  almost  any  amount  of  personal  discomfort  will 
be  endured  in  a  home,  rather  than  it  should  be  reme- 
died by  her  own  work.  And  yet,  which  is  wiser — to 
be  useless  and  idle,  a  burden  on  other  hands,  or  at 
best  a  consumer  of  wealth  another  has  earned, — or  to 
work,  either  with  hands  or  head,  and  so  prove  the 
right  to  life  ?  Which  is  nobler,  to  sit  in  the  pride  of 
ease,  when,  by  your  contempt  for  labor,  work  grows 
heavier,  morally  at  least,  for  others ;  or,  by  putting 
hands  to  it,  add  a  weight  of  worth  to  your  own  life, 
and  roll  from  the  lives  of  others  a  portion  of  the  bur- 
den, which  at  the  best,  is  heavy  to  bear  ?  Which  is 
nearer  true  ?  Which  has  more  of  royalty  in  it,  idle- 
ness or  work  ? 

You  who  scorn  the  workers  in  our  world  forget, 
perhaps,  that  labor  has  on  it  the  kingly  seal  of  God's 
approval, — cannot  see,  perhaps,  how  poor  and  meager 
your  souls  become,  in  the  very  exercise  of  the  scorn 


470     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

you  are  so  ready  and  eager  to  show  in  your  faces  and 
hearts, — do  not  understand  perhaps,  what  must  still 
be  true, — that  the  highest  angel  can  come  nearer  in 
sympathy  to  them  than  to  you;  and  that  even  the 
"King  of  Kings"  has  assigned  them  a  far  higher 
place  than  you  can  ever  attain. 

Again,  w«  find  division-lines  drawn  even  among  the 
working  classes.  The  artisan,  or  skilled  workman, 
the  simple  mechanic,  and  the  laborer.  Many  me- 
chanics of  the  first  class  are  intelligent,  thinking  men, 
well  read  in  history,  philosophy,  and  political  econ- 
omy, sustaining  their  institutes,  and  debating  clubs, 
and  are  becoming  more  and  more  each  year  a  power 
in  the  country. 

In  the  manufacturing  districts  of  Great  Britain, 
there  is  much  to  deplore.  No  one  can  visit  these 
districts  without  being  struck  by  the  contrast  be- 
tween the  operatives  there  and  here.  Go  into  a  mill 
here,  and  you  see  the  girls,  as  a  general  thing,  neat 
and  clean,  healthy,  morally  and  physically — bits  of 
looking-glass  placed  on  the  walls,  or  posts,  at  intervals, 
and  perhaps  some  young  girl,  in  her  short  leisure 
time, "  doing  up  her  hair,"  or  sitting  for  another  to  curl 
it.  I  speak  of 'the  mills  in  New  England;  with  no 
others  am  I  sufficiently  familiar  to  describe  them. 
There  is  no  appearance  of  struggling  against  hope- 
less poverty,  and  the  heavy  burden  of  work,  work, 
and  no  play. 

In  many  English  factories,  you  see  heated,  half-clad 
figures,  thin,  clammy  hands,  and  pallid  faces, — girls, 
women,  young  lads,  and  men,  —  all  alike  in  their 
gaunt,  ghastly  weariness.  Out  of  the  mill,  you  see 
abject  slovenliness,  only  relieved  occasionally  by  a 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     471 

faint  attempt  at  smartness.  Girls  without  bonnets, 
sometimes  a  shawl  over  the  head  from  which  they 
have  not  picked  the  oily  refuse  that  clings  to  them. 
In  Scotland  and  Ireland,  almost  universally  barefoot. 
In  Lancashire,  with  those  wooden-soled  shoes,  that 
make  the  peculiar  and  almost  deafening  clatter,  clat- 
ter, when  the  mill  hands  are  let  out. 

The  factory  operatives  of  twenty  years  ago,  were 
a  harder  worked  and  less  cared  for  class,  than,  per- 
haps, any  in  the  country — except  the  miners.  But 
both  the  miners  and  the  mill  hands,  through  the 
agency  of  great  and  good  men,  and  their  own  increas- 
ing intelligence,  have  been  relieved  from  much  of 
the  oppression  that  ground  them  down ;  yet  there  is 
still  great  room  for  improvement,  and  we  cannot  look 
without  feelings  of  pain,  at  the  reports  published  by 
Mr.  Clay,  formerly  chaplain  of  the  house  of  correc- 
tion in  Preston,  of  the  ignorance  of  the  lower  classes 
in  Lancashire.  The  fact  is,  the  working-classes  are, 
as  I  have  before  intimated,  very  much  separated  from 
equal  social  intercourse  with  others.  Occasionally,, 
by  the  force  of  genius  and  fortuitous  circumstances, 
a  working  man  may  force  his  way  through  the  hard 
crust,  to  another  strata  of  society.  These  are  all 
chronicled — the  world  knows  them:  Stephenson,  Dr. 
Livingston,  Hugh  Miller,  Chantry,  and  others, — yes, 
many  others;  but  compared  with  the  great  mass  of 
the  working  classes  of  Great  Britain,  very  few. 

There  are  advertisements  of  "lectures  for  the  work- 
ing classes,"  "concerts  for  the  working  classes," 
"cheap  entertainments  for  the  working  classes,"  "cot- 
tages for  the  working  classes,"  etc.,  as  if  they  were 
socially  distinct  and  separate  from  all  others. 


4*72  AUTOBIOGKAPHT   OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH. 

While  you  find  many  mechanics  are  intelligent,  the 
mere  laborer,  especially  the  agricultural  laborer,  is, 
as  a  general  thing,  very  ignorant.  We  are  told  that 
"nature  is  a  great  educator;"  I  do  not  believe  it. 
Many  of  these  men  and  women,  who  were  born, 
reared,  and  live  in  the  most  lovely  rural  districts, 
where  nature  laughs  in  all  the  perfection  of  beauty, 
are  among  the  most  stupid,  boorish,  and  unintellectual 
beings  in  human  shape  I  ever  met.  Their  employ- 
ment requires  no  thought;  one  is  a  ploughman,  and 
does  nothing  but  follow  the  plough ;  another  a  hedger 
and  ditcher,  etc.  I  have  tried  to  converse  with  them, 
but  found  them  wofully  ignorant.  The  last  words  of 
a  dying  Lincolnshire  boor,  are  recorded  as, — "Wat 
wi'  faath,  and  wat  wi'  the  arth  turning  round  the 
soon,  and  wat  wi'  the  raalroads  a  fuzzen  and  a  whuz- 
zen,  I'm  clean  mooddled  an  bet." 

I  was  once  invited  to  a  Harvest  Home,  at  a  gentle- 
man's farm  in  a  neighborhood  where  total  abstinence, 
or  "  teetotalism,"  as  they  call  it,  was  very  unpopular. 
He  had  given  no  drink  on  the  harvest  field,  for  the 
first  time,  I  believe,  in  the  county,  and  had  determined 
to  provide  the  harvest  dinner  without  beer  or  spirks. 
This  created  great  excitement,  and  some  opposition. 
The  rector  of  the  parish  refused  to  be  present, 
giving  as  a  reason,  there  was  to  be  no  beer,  and  he 
would  not  countenance  such  new-fangled  notions, — 
that  it  was  unjust  to  the  laborer,  to  deprive  him  of 
his  beer. 

An  honorable  and  reverend  gentleman  from  another 
parish  was  present.  The  laborers  assembled  in  a 
large  tent,  and  sat  down  to  a  bountiful  dinner  of  roast 
beef  and  plum-pudding,  the  servants  of  the  family 


AUTOBIOGKAPHT  OP  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     473 

waiting  on  them.  The  master  of  the  house,  with  in- 
vited guests,  were  present,  and  really  it  was  quite  a 
show,  to  see  the  poor  people  eat.  After  the  dinner, 
speeches  were  made.  The  honorable  and  reverend 
gentleman  said,  as  nearly  as  I  can  recollect :  "  Men 
and  women,  I  am  glad  to  see  you  enjoy  your  dinner. 
Your  master  is  consistent — he  gives  you  no  drink  on 
the  harvest  field,  and  he  gives  you  no  drink  at  the 
dinner.  I  am  not  a  teetotaler,  I  believe  in  beer,  in 
moderation — strict  moderation.  In  my  parish,  the 
farmers  have  arranged  for  a  joint  harvest  home  in 
a  large  barn.  I  will  give  you  the  arrangements, 
as  agreed  on  by  the  farmers :  First,  we  shall  all  as- 
semble at  twelve  o'clock,  and  go  to  the  church,  to 
return  thanks  to  Almighty  God  for  the  bountiful  har- 
vest; after  that  we  shall  proceed  to  the  barn,  where 
plates  will  be  laid  for  more  than  three  hundred 
laborers;  we  shall  provide  beer  in  moderation — the 
allowance  will  be,  two  quarts  of  good  ale  for  each 
man,  and  one  quart  for  each  boy, — which  you  will 
agree  with  me,  will  be  in  strict  moderation ;  after 
dinner,  we  have  provided  sports — good  old  English 
sports,  in  which  all  may  engage." 

After  his  speech,  I  addressed  them,  and  gave  my 
opinions  as  to  two  quarts  of  good  ale  being  modera- 
tion. "When  the  speeches  were  over,  the  guests  were 
invited  to  a  grand  dinner  in  the  "Hall."  I  made 
excuses,  and  remained  among  the  people  who  were 
gathered  in  little  knots.  I  saw  a  very  stolid-looking 
man,  who  had  not  sat  down  with  the  rest,  and  I  said 
to  him,  "  Do  you  belong  to  the  other  parish  ?  " 

Pulling  the  front  of  his  old  hat,  and  looking  very 
sheepish,  he  said,  "Eess,  zur." 


474     AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

"Shall  you  attend  the  Harvest  Home  there  next 
week?" 

"Eess,  zur." 

"•  Will  you  tell  me  what  the  sports  will  be,  the  par- 
son spoke  of?" 

"  Eess,  zur." 

"Well,  what  are  they?" 

"Foost,  they  cloimb  a  greesy  poal." 

"What's  that?" 

"  Thay  greese  ta  poal,  an  theers  a  croas  stick  on  top, 
wi  a  bag,  an  a  shillin  in  ta  bag,  an  thay  cloimbs  oop 
ta  poal,  an  him  as  get  ta  shillin,  has  un." 

"Anything  else?" 

"Eess,  zur." 

"Can  you  tell  me?" 

"Eess,  zur,  thay  haves  a  reace  in  zacks." 

"  A  race  in  sacks  ?  " 

"  Eess,  zur,  an  it's  reare  vun — thay  toies  ta  zacks 
roon  thayer  necks,  an  thay  roons,  an  thay  toombles. 
He  !  he  !  it's  reare  vun." 

"  Anything  more  ?  " 

"Eess,  zur." 

"What  is  it?" 

"Thay  roons  a  reace  arter  a  pig  wats  greesed,  an 
him  as  catches  un  has  un." 

"Anything  more?" 

"Eess,  zur." 

"Well,  tell  me." 

"Thay  has  a  jackass  reace,  an  nobody  doan't  ride 
his  owan  jackass — an  that's  awl  thay  has." 

All  this  was  said  in  the  most  stolid  manner;  not 
the  ripple  of  a  smile,  except  when  he  said,  "thay 
toombles." 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     477 

Quite  a  group  had  collected  around  us  by  this  time, 
and  I  asked, "  What  wages  do  you  get  ?  " 

"Aight  shillin  a  week." 

"  Eight  shillings !     Are  you  married  ?  " 

"  Eess,  zur." 

"Have  you  any  children?" 

"Eess,  zur;  foive." 

"Five  children!  do  they  earn  anything?" 

"Eess,  zur;  ta  biggest  uns  weeds  ta  wheat,  an 
scaers  ta  crows." 

"How  much  do  they  earn?" 

"A  shillin  a  week." 

"Do  you  go  to  church?" 

"Naw,  zur." 

"Why  do  you  not  go  to  church?" 

"  Oy  sleeps ;  oy's  toired." 

"Can  you  read?" 

"Naw,  zur." 

"Do  you  know  your  letters? " 

"Naw,  zur." 

Then  I  said :  "  Men  and  women,  I  want  to  say  some- 
thing to  you.  In  the  country  where  I  live,  agricul- 
tural laborers  do  not  work  for  eight  shillings  a  week. 
Agricultural  laborers  where  I  live,  can  read  and  write ; 
some  become  parsons,  some  magistrates,  others  mem- 
bers of  parliament,  and  some,  governors;"  (I  could 
hear  the  "Laws!  laws!"  from  my  audience)  "but"  I 
continued,  "  agricultural  laborers,  where  I  'come  from, 
do  not  allow  magistrates,  parsons,  and  landed  pro- 
prietors, to  prescribe  two  quarts  of  ale  as  moderate 
drinking,  and  provide  climbing  greasy  poles,  running 
races  in  sacks,  and  these  sports  you  have  told  me  of, 
for  recreation ;  and  just  as  long  as  you  submit  to 
30 


478     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

such  dictation,  so  long  will  you  work  for  eight  shil- 
lings a  week."  Then  I  gave  them  a  few  words  of 
advice. 

As  I  turned  away,  I  heard  a  woman  say:  "He  talks 
to  us,  as  thof  we  were  hooman  beans." 

Dickens,  Thackeray,  Kingsley,  Conybeare,  and  other 
English  writers,  draw  fearful  pictures  of  the  ignorance 
of  this  class  of  the  people,  in  the  rural  districts  of 
England.  When  visiting  Bedfordshire — where  Bun- 
yan  lived,  preached,  and  was  imprisoned,  and  Cowper's 
residence,  where  he  lived  so  long  with  Mrs.  Unwin 
— I  went  with  a  party  to  see  the  church  where  Scott, 
the  commentator,  once  preached;  a  woman  accompa- 
nied us  to  show  us  the  place,  and  at  every  reply  to 
our  questions,  with  her  arms  folded,  would  duck  down, 
for  an  attempt  at  a  courtesy.  I  said  to  her  once: 
"  Please,  ma'am,  do  not  bob  at  me  so,  when  I  speak 
to  you ;  I  do  not  like  it."  We  noticed  a  row  of  hard- 
looking  benches, — reminding  me  of  the  seats  in  the 
old-fashioned  New  England  school-houses,  where  they 
are  worn  smooth,  excepting  the  knots,  and  I  asked, 
"What  are  these  benches  for?" 

"  Please,  sir,  they  are  for  the  school-children,  sir." 

"And  what  do  the  school-children  do  on  these 
benches?" 

"  Please,  sir,  they  gets  the  colic,  sir." 

"The  colic!  good  gracious!  what  do  they  get  the 
colic  for?" 

"Please,  sir,  they  are  obliged  to,  every  Sunday 
morning,  sir." 

"  Well,  well,  I  never  heard  of  such  a  thing ;  obliged 
to  get  the  colic  every  Sunday  morning?" 

"  Yes,  please,  sir,  all  of  them  is  obliged  to  get  it. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH.  479 

I  must  confess  that  for  a  moment  or  two  I  had  a 
vision  of  a  set  of  wretched  children  on  hard  benches, 
in  a  high  state  of  disturbance — when  one  of  the 
party,  laughing  heartily,  said :  "  She  means  they  are 
compelled  to  learn  the  collect  for  the  day,  every  Sun- 
day morning;"  and  that  was  probably  the  extent  of 
their  religious  education. 

Conybeare  gives  some  curious  questions  and  an- 
swers, at  an  examination  of  school-children  by  the  rec- 
tor. The  reply  to  the  question  "  What  is  a  church  ? " 
was,  "  A  place  wi'  pews  in."  To  the  question  "What 
is  thunder?"  Please,  sir,  isn't  it  the  devil  a-swear- 
ing?"  The  rector  was  a  portly  man,  a  fine  specimen 
of  what  is  called  a  good  liver,  and  he  asked  the  ques- 
tion, "What  part  of  the  human  body  is  like  a  globe?" 
The  young  ones  tittered — the  question  was  repeated, 
when  one  boy  blurted  out,  "  Stomach,  sir,"  to  the  dis- 
comfiture of  the  rector. 

Their  whole  system  of  education  is  defective,  even 
if  it  were  measured  by  the  ability  to  read  and  write. 
Instruction  in  reading  and  writing,  may  be  carried  to 
a  high  point  of  excellence,  without  any  knowledge 
being  imparted  worth  the  name  of  education.  Then, 
to  put  children  to  the  New  Testament,  as  into  a  hard, 
barren  field,  in  which  they  are  to  perform  a  piece  of 
drudgery,  is  not  giving  them  religious  instruction, 
merely  committing  a  certain  number  of  verses  to 
memory,  will  not  open  to  their  understanding,  and 
affection  the  Book  of  Life. 

Mr.  Clay  told  me  that  he  found  many  who  could 
fluently  repeat  texts  learned,  and  even  read  the  prin- 
ted characters  in  the  Testament,  utterly  unable  to 
comprehend  the  sense  of  what  they  read ;  and  he 


480     AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

showed  me  the  result  of  his  investigation,  which  was 
startling.  But  I  am  not  qualified  to  give  a  disserta- 
tion on  education. 

In  Scotland,  till  very  lately,  the  condition  of  the 
mere  laborer  was  lamentable.  I  remember  being  at 
the  house  of  a  farmer,  when  a  house-servant  said  to 
him :  "  One  of  the  hinds  wants  to  see  you."  On  in- 
quiring what  a  hind  was,  they  told  me  it  was  a  farm- 
servant.  In  the  barn-yard  I  saw  a  woman,  bare- 
legged, with  a  frock  made  of  coarse  canvas  coming 
just  to  her  knees,  cutting  up  turnips  for  the  cattle 
with  a  spade. 

In  Dowlais,  "Wales,  I  saw  women  in  the  brick-yard, 
carrying  the  material  on  their  backs.  A  strap  was 
brought  over  the  shoulder,  supporting  a  board,  that 
rested  edgeways  in  the  small  of  the  back.  Their  dress 
was  simply  a  coarse  frock.  They  received  on  the 
board  a  load  of  the  wet  clay,  and  ran  with  it  up  an 
inclined  plane,  dumped  it  where  it  was  needed,  and 
returned  down  the  plank  for  another  load.  Young 
girls,  wet  and  dirty,  performing  this  labor  from  morn- 
ing till  night ! 

The  shepherds  of  Scotland  are  of  a  far  higher 
grade  in  intellect;  some  of  them  are  quite  studious 
and  intelligent.  Their  monotonous  and  quiet  life 
gives  them  advantages  which  many  improve,  and 
among  them  you  will  find  much  of  that  quaint,  Scot- 
tish humor,  that  is  so  quiet  and  rich.  I  heard  a  story, 
I  know  not  whether  well  known  or  not,  but  I  venture 
to  give  it.  Two  sparks  from  London  once  came  upon 
a  decent-looking  shepherd  in  Argyllshire,  and  accosted 
him  with :  "  You  have  a  very  fine  view  here — you 
can  see  a  great  way." 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     481 

"  Ou  aye,  ou  aye,  a  ferry  great  way." 
"Ah!  you  can  see  America  here  I  suppose." 
"Farrer  than  that." 
"Ah!  how's  that?" 

"Ou  jist  wait  tule  the  mist  gangs  awa, an  you'll  see 
the  mune." 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

The  " Navvies"— Irish  Begging— Ballad  Singers— The  "Poet  Horse" 
— Irish  Famine — Americans  in  Europe — Want  of  Taste — Snuff-Tak- 
ing— Feeing  Servants — Railways  in  Great  Britain — The  Night 
Trains — Signs.  » 

THERE  is  a  peculiar  class  of  laboring  men  in  Eng- 
land,— introduced,  or  brought  into  existence  as  a  class 
by  the  railways, — called  at  first  excavators,  then  rail- 
way navigators,  then  navvies.  The  railway  navvies 
are  considered  the  finest  Herculean  specimens  of  the 
British  race,  as  regards  their  physical  strength.  They 
are  clannish,  and  stick  together,  though,  under  the 
influence  of  drink,  they  sometimes  have  desperate 
fights  with  each  other.  They  are  generally  honest 
and  open-hearted.  Miss  Marsh  and  others,  who  have 
become  interested  in  their  welfare,  give  evidence  of 
their  general  good-humor,  and  the  absence  of  all  blus- 
ter and  bravado  amongst  them.  If,  from  illness,  one 
is  unable  to  work,  he  is  supported  by  the  comrades  in 
his  particular  gang. 

They  earn  good  wages.  At  a  navvy's  funeral,  five 
hundred  of  his  comrades  in  clean  white  smock-frocks, 
with  black  neckerchiefs  tied  loosely  round  their 
throats,  will  sometimes  walk  in  pairs,  hand  in  hand 
after  their  mate.  Their  amusements  are,  playing  at 
skittles, — (a  rude  sort  of  ten-pins) — quoits,  drinking, 
and  occasional  fighting.  A  most  interesting  account 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     483 

of  these  men  is  given  by  Miss  Marsh,  in  her  book  en- 
titled "English  hearts  and  English  hands." 

A  lady  told  me,  as  an  evidence  of  their  docility, 
and  regard  for  those  that  take  a  true  interest  in  them, 
that  on  one  evening,  some  one  came  to  her  house,  and 
told  her  that  two  of  "her  navvies"  were  fighting. 
With  her  husband's  consent,  she  followed  her  inform- 
ant, and  found  a  ring  of  men,  within  which  were 
the  two,  stripped  to  the  waist.  The  crowd  gave  way 
for  her,  and  she  quietly  stepped  up  to  the  two  men, 
who  were  glaring  at  each  other  like  savage  wild  beasts, 
with  clenched  fists  and  bleeding  faces.  Laying  her 
hand  on  one,  who  was  over  six  feet  tall,  she  said  in  a 
low  tone,  "  Oh,  Frank."  The  hand  instantly  dropped, 
both  hung  down  their  heads,  put-  on  their  clothes,  and 
in  one  hour,  with  their  faces  washed,  they  were  sitting 
in  her  kitchen,  begging  her  pardon  for  having  "  been 
and  gone  and  disgraced  her,  who  had  been  so  kind  to 
them." 

The  contrast  between  the  French  and  English  navvy 
may  be  exemplified  by  an  anecdote  related  -by  Sir 
Francis  Head.  "A  French  and  an  English  navvy  were 
suddenly  buried  by  the  falling  in  of  the  earth  in  a 
tunnel  in  France.  The  English  engineer,  instantly 
collected  all  his  men,  and  they  commenced  sinking  a 
shaft,  which  was  accomplished  to  the  depth  of  fifty 
feet,  in  eleven  hours,  and  the  men  were  brought  up. 
The  Frenchman  on  reaching  the  top,  rushed  forward, 
hugged  and  kissed  on  both  cheeks,  friends  and  ac- 
quaintance, and  then,  sitting  on  a  log  of  timber,  put- 
ing  both  hands  before  his  face,  began  to  cry  aloud 
most  bitterly.  The  English  navvy  sat  himself  down 
on  the  same  piece,  of  timber,  took  his  pit-cap  off  his 


484     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

head,  wiped  with  it  the  perspiration  from  his  hair  and 
face,  and  then  looking  for  a  few  seconds  into  the  shaft 
through  which  he  had  been  lifted,  as  if  he  was  calcu- 
lating the  number  of  cubic  yards  that  had  been  ex- 
cavated, turned  to  the  crowd  of  French  and  English 
who  stood  gazing  at  him  half  terrified,  and  said,  coolly 
and  slowly,  in  his  Lancashire  dialect :  '  Yawve  been  a 
'nation  short  toime  abaaout  it.' ' 

The  very  lowest  class,  beggars  and  tramps,  I  shall 
speak  of  when  I  come  to  their  head-quarters,  London. 
But  in  Ireland  you  find  the  poetry  of  begging. 
When  in  Dublin  and  Cork,  I  walked  the  street  to  see 
what  I  could  of  the  street  folk,  and  listen  to  the  beg- 
gars. Many  stories  are  related  of  them.  When 
Charles  Mathews  visited  Ireland,  he  met  with  some 
racy  specimens.  One  day  he  was  accosted  with: 
"Ah!  yer  honor,  have  compassion  on  the  blind,  the 
lame  and  the  lazy." 

"How's  that?" 

"Plaise  yer  honor,  I'm  lame,  this  good  woman's 
blind,  and  my  daughter's  lazy." 

Another  time :  "  Ah !  yer  good-looking  honor,  have 
pity  on  a  poor  crature.  Ah!  bless  your  handsome, 
good-looking  face." 

"No,  I  won't  give  you  a  farthing  for  your  flattery, 
so  go  away." 

Immediately  another  woman  said:  "Oh!  Judy,  ye 
hear  what  the  gentleman  says  to  ye  —  'go  away.' 
That's  all  ye'll  get  for  yer  blarney,  butthering  people 
over  that  way.  Sure  his  honor  knows  he's  as  ugley  a 
piece  of  furniture  as  I've  seen  for  many  a  day.  Now, 
yer  honor,  give  me  a  penny  for  my  honesty." 

There  is  to  be  found,  even  among  the  lowest  and 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     485 

poorest  of  the  Irish  beggars,  a  rollicking  humor,  and 
you  are  sure  to  get  a  quick  retort  if  you  chaff  them; 
and  they  will  generally  evade  any  trap  you  set  to 
catch  them.  When  offended,  their  imprecations  have 
something  fearful  about  them;  and  yet,  there  is  hu- 
mor even  in  their  cursing:  "May  the  walls  of  heaven 
never  be  darkened  by  the  shadow  of  yer  dirty  sowl." 
Their  blessings  are  fully  as  original:  "May  ye  live 
forever  and  die  happy."  "  May  yer  sowl  be  in  glory 
a  fortnight  before  the  divil  knows  you're  dead." 

An  endless  source  of  amusement  is  to  be  found 
among  the  lower  classes  of  the  Irish,  and  not  only 
amusement,  but  deep  interest.  I  followed  two  bal- 
lad singers  in  Cork  for  nearly  an  hour,  to  note  the 
people.  The  ballad  was  rough,  and  the  singers  were 
rude,  and  not  very  musical.  The  theme  was  the  loss 
of  the  "  Royal  Charter."  I  was  very  much  touched 
by  the  sad,  sympathetic  faces  of  the  listeners,  a  crowd 
of  whom  surrounded  the  singers.  The  description 
of  the  storm,  the  striking  of  the  ship,  the  cry  of 
the  passengers,  the  prayer  that  was  offered  by  those 
on  deck, — all  received  a  share  of  notice  and  sym- 
pathy. 

When  the  name  of  God  was  spoken,  every  man's 
hat  was  off,  and  every  woman  bowed  her  head.  I 
saw  tears  streaming  down  the  cheeks  of  some,  and 
heard  such  expressions  as,  "Ah!  God  be  betune  us  an 
all  harrum."  "Oh!  the  poor  craythurs."  "Ah!  the 
cruel,  cruel  say,  to  swallow  them  all  up."  It  was  to 
me  very  interesting. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  C.  Hall,  with  whom  I  formed  a 
pleasant  personal  acquaintance,  give,  in  their  work  on 
Ireland,  %some  very  interesting  details  of  the  manners 


486     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

and  customs  of  the  Irish  people.  On  one  occasion, 
when  traveling,  their  coachman  pleaded  for  another 
shilling,  after  he  had  received  his  fare.  "Plaise  yer 
honor,  give  me  the  shilling.  If  you  knew  all,  you'd 
give  it." 

"All,  what  all?" 

"Ah!  sure  that's  a  mighty  saicret;  but  it's  worth 
a  shilling." 

"  Ah!  my  man,  I  hardly  believe  that." 

"  Sure  then,  bless  yer  honor,  if  I  get  the  shilling 
and  yer  honor  get's  the  saicret,  yer  honor  11  have  the 
biggest  bargain." 

"  Well,  there  is  the  shilling — now  for  the  mighty 
secret." 

The  driver  grasped  the  shilling,  and  then  said : 
"  But  I'd  better  whisper  it,"  and  bringing  his  lips 
close  to  Mr.  Hall's  ear,  he  said,  in  a  very  low  tone, 
"  Plaise  yer  honor's  glory,  I've  driven  ye  the  last  mile 
with  the  linchpin  out." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cook  was  about  to  hire  a  jaunting 
car  from  a  stand  in  Belfast,  when  a  very  ragged  spec- 
imen of  a  thorough  Irish  car  driver  came  running  up 
to  him,  and,  gesticulating  violently  said  :  "  Ah  !  don't 
take  that  horse,  for  the  love  of  the  Virgin." 

"Why  should  I  not  take  this  man's  horse?" 

u  Why? — 0,  murther !  Just  only  look  at  him.  He's 
a  bad  resolution ;  he  jibs  going  up  hill,  stumbles 
going  down  hill,  and  lays  himself  flat,  on  the  livil 
ground.  There's  a  horse,  now;  just  look  at  him. 
He's  a  poet,  and  he'll  rowl  ye  along  beautiful ! " 

The  doctor,  thinking  he  would  try  the  poet,  sprang 
into  the  car,  and  with  a  halloo  and  a  crack  of  the 
whip,  went  off  at  spanking  pace.  At  the  first  rise  of 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUQH.    487 

a  hill  the  animal  stopped,  and  then  commenced  a  series 
of  blarneyings,  never  to  be  heard  out  of  Ireland. 

"Hey  now!  what  the  matter — don't  ye  see  the 
gintleman  criticising  ye — have  ye  no  regard  for  yer 
reputation — are  ye  going?  The  divil  an  oat  ye'll  get 
to-night,  if  that's  the  way  ye  disgrace  me.  Will  ye 
go  now?  "  and  down  came  the  butt  end  of  the  whip  on 
the  ribs  of  the  poor  beast.  "  Take  that !  and  that ! 
and—" 

"  Stop,"  said  the  doctor,  "  I  thought  your  horse  was 
a  poet." 

"  Poet,  yer  honor — don't  ye  see  the  devilopment 
of  the  born  idgiut  ?  " 

u  What  development  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"Why,  isn't  he  betther  in  the  promise  than  he  is  in 
the  performince  ?  " 

The  best  thing  I  heard  while  in  Dublin  was  said  by 
a  man  to  a  woman.  Two  men  were  talking  together, 
evidently  belonging  to  the  poorest  class,  when  a 
woman,  short,  thick  and  dumpy,  and  shockingly  dirty, 
came  up  and  interrupted  them.  "  To  the  divil  I'll 
pitch  ye  now,  if  ye're  not  away."  Still  she  annoyed 
them;  when  one  of  the  men,  with  an  indescribable 
contempt  in  tone  and  gesture,  said :  "  Go  away  with 
ye  now ;  you're  for  all  the  world  like  a  bad  winter's 
day — short  and  dirty.'" 

I  saw  a  group  of  boys  plaguing  a  butcher,  who  was 
exceedingly  corpulent,  looking  like  a  feather  bed  with 
a  string  tied  round  it.  "Heh!  how  much  for  a  pluck's 
head?"  "Chuck  us  a  bit  of  liver!"  "Your  mut- 
ton's woolly," — and  so  on.  The  poor  butcher  was 
too  unwieldy  to  run  after  them,  and  stood  in  his  door- 
way, helplessly  chafing  with  rage,  when  one  of  the 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY    OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH. 

urchins  gave  the  finishing  stroke,  and  the  poor  fellow 
turned  into  his  shop,  vanquished  and  speechless,  as 
the  boy  shouted :  "  Come  away  Phelirn,  come  away, 
let  him  bide — he's  'nothing  but  a  dropsical  old  sas- 
sidge  himself." 

I  was  told  that  two  Irishmen  were  walking  to- 
gether past  a  building  in  course  of  completion,  when 
one  said :  "  They're  quick  at  building ;  it's  three 
months  since  they  laid  the  foundation,  and  now 
they're  putting  in  the  lights." 

"  Ay,"  said  the  other,  "  and  in  a  short  time  they'll 
be  putting  in  the  liver." 

I  was  deeply  affected  by  the  accounts  given  me  of 
the  famine  in  1848.  I  had  spoken  in  Albany  that 
year,  to  raise  money  for  corn  to  be  sent  to  them,  and 
therefore  felt  deeply  interested,  and  when  speaking 
in  Cork,  I  alluded  to  the  fact  that  a  ship  of  war,  with 
the  stars  and  stripes  floating  from  the  mast-head,  once 
anchored  in  the  Cove  of  Cork,  freighted  with  corn 
for  starving  Irishmen.  A  gentleman  on  the  platform 
rose  to  his  feet,  and  proposed  three  cheers  for  Amer- 
ica. They  were  given;  then  three  more;  they  were 
also  given;  then,  "for  the  third  time  three  more;" 
and  as  the  mighty  roar  from  hundreds  of  voices 
ceased,  another  gentleman  rose  in  great  excitement, 
and  shouted  out, — "One  more  three  cheers  with  a 
will,"  and  with  a  will  they  were  given. 

I  was  appointed  to  speak  in  Bandon,  and  was  a  guest 
of  the  rector,  brother  to  the  Earl  of  Bandon.  At  the 
dinner,  where  his  lordship  was  present,  the  conversa- 
tion turned  on  the  Irish  famine,  and  I  must  confess 
that  I  never  conceived  such  distress  had  existed.  The 
hostess  said  to  me:  "After  dinner  we  will  show  you 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.    489 

the  famine  walks  in  our  grounds.  They  were  made 
to  give  some  of  the  poor  people  employment.  We  fed 
three  hundred  at  our  gates  for  weeks,  and  were  com- 
pelled to  sprinkle  chloride  of  lime  on  the  stones  where 
they  sat,  fearing  infection  from  the  famine  fever." 

I  was  told  that  they  dreaded  going  through  the 
village  after  dark,  lest  they  should  stumble  on  a 
corpse ;  that  shells,  or  rude  coffins,  were  placed  in  the 
streets,  and  one  man  had  taken  to  his  house  four  of 
these  for  his  children,  as  they  died,  one  after  the 
other ;  and,  his  wife  dying,  went  for  the  fifth,  brought 
it  to  the  cabin,  managed  to  lay  his  dead  wife  in  it, 
fell  over  the  rude  coffin,  and  was  found  there  a  corpse. 
Children  were  discovered  on  the  beach,  with  sea-weed 
in  their  mouths,  which  they  had  been  sucking  for 
nourishment,— dead. 

One  gentleman  informed  us,  as  an  evidence  of  the 
patience  of  the  people,  that  when  the  corn  was  dis- 
tributed, it  was  brought  in  open  carts  from,  Cork, 
twenty  miles  distant,  passing  through  a  district  smit- 
ten with  famine,  and  the  poor  creatures  were  seen 
leaning  in  their  weakness  against  the  walls  of  their 
huts,  hungry,  pinched,  starving, — and  were  heard  to 
say :  "  God  Almighty  bless  them  that  sent  it."  "  It's 
coming  to  us,  God  be  praised ; "  but  not  a  kernel  of 
the  corn  was  touched  by  the  poor  wretches,  mad  with 
hunger,  till  it  was  duly  distributed  by  those  having 
the  charge  of  dispensing  American  bounty ;  and  not  a 
soldier,  or  even  a  policeman  was  required  to  guard  it. 

I  found  a  vast  amount  of  ignorance  in  regard  to 
America,  among  even  intelligent  Englishmen.  Sur- 
prise was  expressed  in  quite  a  respectable  circle,  that 
we  spoke  such  good  English.  This  ignorance  was 


490     AUTOBIOGEAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

manifested  in  many  ways.  Constant  complaints  were 
made  of  the  violations  of  good  taste  occurring  among 
Americans,  and  with  some  show  of  reason;  for  there 
is  a  class  of  Americans  who  really  disgrace  us  by 
their  rudeness;  and  I  have  more  than  once  been  mor- 
tified at  the  recklessness  with  which  some  of  our 
countrymen — and  women  too,  I  am  sorry  to  say — 
would  trample  on  the  courtesies,  and  even  the  decen- 
cies, of  social  life ;  their  loud  talking,  almost  amount- 
ing to  brawling,  their  assumption  of  independence, 
their  bragging  and  boasting,  were  very  offensive.  It 
is  right  to  glory  in  one's  country ;  right  to  be  proud 
of  America;  and  no  Englishman  of  sense  will  despise 
the  love  of  country ;  but  he  will  certainly  exhibit 
contempt  for  those  who  violate  the  rules  of  courtesy 
and  common  decency  in  expressing  it.  Those  who 
thus  disgrace  us  are  not  fair  specimens  of  Americans, 
and  yet  they  do  us  serious  damage  in  the  estimation 
of  foreigners;  and  when  they  return  home  are  as  of- 
fensive to  their  own  countrymen,  by  their  affected  de- 
preciation of  everything  American.  These  people 
are  constantly  and  persistently  informing  you  they 
have  been  to  Europe.  "  When  I  was  in  Europe,"  is 
reiterated  over  and  over  again,  and,  "It's  very  differ- 
ent in  Europe,"  "When  we  traveled  in  Europe." 
They  so  continually  din  "Europe"  in  your  ears,  that 
you  heartily  wish  they  had  remained  in  "Europe." 

But  I  think  the  sweeping  charge  of  want  of  good 
taste  as  peculiarly  applicable  to  Americans,  is  unfair. 

"Wad  the  Power  some  giftie  gi'e  us 
To  see  oursels  as  ithers  see  us." 

On  the  occasion  of  a  lecture  I  delivered  in  a  coun- 
try town,  an  Independent  minister  was  appointed  to 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.    491 

open  with  prayer.  His  salary  was  £300  per  year.  (I 
mention  this  to  show  his  position.)  After  he  fyad  con- 
cluded the  prayer,  he,  being  also  the  chairman  of  the 
meeting,  said :  "  Ladies  and  gentlemen,  as  I  have  in- 
formed you  in  my  prayer,  the  temperance  cause  is  in 
a  healthy  state,"  &c. 

On  another  occasion,  at  a  meeting  of  mine,  I  found 
the  platform  was  erected  on  the  top  of  the  pulpit — 
which  was  a  very  high  one — lifting  me  out  of  the 
reach  of  the  sympathy  of  my  audience  on  the  floor, 
and  bringing  me  unpleasantly  close  to  those  in  the 
gallery.  As  I  took  my  seat,  I  turned  to  a  gentleman 
next  me  and  said:  "I  am  very  sorry  that  I  am  placed 
in  such  an  awkward  condition  to  speak.  I  cannot 
speak  here.  Below,  under  the  gallery,  the  people 
cannot  see  me,  and  I  shall  be  dizzy  looking  down 
into  that  well."  The  church  was  small,  and  I  was 
lifted  so  high,  I  felt  annoyed. 

The  gentleman  said:  "The  people  in  the  gallery 
pay  the  highest  price,  and  they  would  like  to  see 
your  feet." 

See  my  feet!  I  grew  desperate,  and  said:  "If  I 
never  made  an  utter  failure  before,  I  shall  make  one 
now,  for  I  cannot  speak  here."  But  it  was  inevitable; 
no  change  could  be  made ;  the  meeting  was  called  to 
order,  and  the  person  to  whom  I  had  been  talking 
was  called  upon,  as  the  minister  of  the  church,  to  offer 
prayer.  What  was  my  surprise,  when  he  told  the 
Lord  he  regretted  that  the  platform  was  not  satisfac- 
tory to  the  speaker,  and  used  these  words,  as  near  as 
I  can  recollect  them : 

"  "We  pray  that  the  height  of  the  platform  may  not 
so  interfere  with  the  comfort  of  the  lecturer,  but  that 


492     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

he  will  be  able  to  give  as  good  a  lecture  here,  as 
it  has  been  reported  in  the  papers  he  has  given  in 
other  towns  in  the  country."  This  made  things 
worse  than  ever  to  me,  and  how  I  got  through  I 
hardly  know.  This  was  a  violation  of  good  taste, 
not  merely  a  blunder. 

Men  may  make  a  blunder  in  prayer,  which,  though 
absurd,  is  not  considered  blameworthy.  I  was  told 
that  after  the  battle  of  Lexington,  a  town  meeting 
was  called  to  decide  on  measures  for  further  move- 
ments, when  one  man,  who  had  witnessed  the  fight, 
and  was  in  great  excitement,  was  called  to  pray,  as  he 
was  considered  the  most  religious  man  in  the  town. 
In  his  nervousness  he  made  a  terrible  blunder,  when 
he  said :  "  Oh !  Lord,  I  never  see  such  a  day  as  it  was 
yesterday,  and  I  don't  believe  you  ever  did." 

At  a  breakfast  party,  where  I  was  present,  several 
gentlemen  had  met  for  conversation,  and  the  customs 
and  peculiarities  of  Americans  were  discussed.  Very 
strong  expressions  were  used  in  reference  to  our  hab- 
it of  putting  our  feet  on  the  table,  of  swaggering,  of 
using  the  double  negative  so  constantly,  and  espe- 
cially, of  the  habit  of  spitting ; — this  was  handled  very 
severely.  One  gentleman  in  particular  very  strongly 
denounced  it.  I  confessed  they  had  reason  for  se- 
vere criticism;  but  I  noticed  this  same  gentleman 
push  back  his  chair,  and,  producing  a  snuff-box,  tap 
it  once  or  twice,  and  taking  a  huge  pinch  of  snuff 
between  his  two  fingers  and  thumb,  apply  it  to  his 
nostrils,  give  two  or  three  tremendous  sniffs,  and 
with  his  handkerchief  dab  the  snuff  about  his  nose, 
and  draw  up  again  to  the  table.  This  he  did  three 
times  during  breakfast.  As  I  was  leaving,  I  said  to 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     493 

him :  "  Pardon  me,  sir,  if  I  say  that  I  agree  with  you 
in  much  you  have  said  of  American  habits ;  but  you 
will  not  be  offended  when  I  tell  you  that,  though  I 
have  seen  a  great  deal  of  spitting  in  America,  I  never 
saw  any  man  of  any  class,  under  any  circumstances, 
take  snuff  at  the  breakfast-table.  I  know  not  but 
it  is  done ;  but  I  never  saw  it." 

He  said,  with  a  laugh, — "  A  fair  hit,  a  fair  hit, — I'm 
not  offended." 

There  are  prejudices  on  both  sides.  We  call  them 
sullen,  proud,  and  arrogant, — they  call  us  boasting, 
vain,  inquisitive,  and  conceited.  This  prejudice  seems 
to  be  national,  not  against  individuals.  Americans 
there  and  Englishmen  here  are  sure  of  a  warm,  hospi- 
table reception,  if  they  deserve  it ;  and  for  the  people 
of  both  countries  to  know  each  other  better,  would  be 
to  judge  each  other  less  unfavorably.  "  Ill-will  is  best 
nursed  in  ignorance."  Charles  Lamb,  when  asked  how 
he  could  hate  a  people  he  did  not  know,  answered : 
"And  pray  how  could  I  hate  them  if  I  did  know  them." 

Prejudice  without  reason  is  often  the  most  bitter 
and  lasting.  A  writer  in  the  "  Fortnightly  Review," 
February,  1864,  says  :  "  I  am  quite  sure  that  if  Eng- 
land had  known  as  much  about  the  United  States  five 
years  ago  as  she  does  now,  the  present  unhappy  rela- 
tions between  the  two  countries  could  not  be  subsist- 
ing. England  sneered  at  those  who  had  been  her 
friends,  then  fighting  the  last  battles  of  a  conflict  be- 
gun by  herself,  and  gave  her  sympathies  to  those  who 
had  denounced  her  for  her  love  of  freedom;"  and  we, 
while  demanding  justice  unflinchingly,  might  be  less 
bitter  in  our  denunciation  of  England  as  a  whole,  did 
we  know  the  sympathy  of  the  English  masses  for  us 
31 


494     AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

in  our  struggle.  I  received  letter  after  letter  from 
men  and  women,  deeply  sympathizing  with  us,  and 
not  merely  that,  but  fighting  battles  for  us,  against 
prejudice  and  false  judgment. 

Our  independence  is  not  understood  by  many  there ; 
I  mean  the  true,  sturdy  independence.  For  instance, 
when  I  told  a  gentleman  that  a  man  who  "works  for 
me,  whom  they  would  call  a  "farm  servant,"  rides 
with  me  to  church,  or  town  meeting  to  vote,  is  an 
assessor  of  the  town,  and  assesses  my  property,  is  my 
friend,  and  is  considered  my  equal  while  his  conduct 
is  without  reproach,  he  said :  "  There  can  be  no  subor- 
dination in  such  a  case,  and  you  have  no  authority." 

I  said :  "  Ah !  but  I  have  authority.  What  I  re- 
quire is  done  promptly,  and  respectfully,  without 
cringing,  but  in  a  spirit  of  manly  independence." 

He  replied :  "  I  do  not  understand  how  it  is, — it 
could  not  be  done  here ;  such  a  man  would  become 
impertinent  and  unbearable." 

I  think  he  was  in  a  great  measure  mistaken  in 
that;  for  in  any  country,  if  you  treat  a  man  as  a  man, 
you  help  to  make  a  man  of  him.  Yet  there  is  a  very 
general  lack  of  independence  among  servants  and 
work-people  in  England.  A  very  serious  annoyance 
to.  travelers  or  visitors  is  the  custom  of  feeing  ser- 
vants. They  expect  it,  even  in  houses  where  you 
are  an  invited  guest.  Some  of  the  best  families  are 
taking  measures  to  stop  the  practice,  and  in  several 
instances  we  found  a  card  in  our  rooms,  "  Please  offer 
no  gratuities  to  the  servants." 

To  those  unaccustomed  to  this  system,  it  is  not 
only  annoying,  but  embarrassing.  I  remember  one 
case  particularly.  When  I  was  a  guest  with  some 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     495 

friends  from  London,  at  the  house  of  a  gentleman, 
the  butler — a  gentlemanly-looking  man,  with  pow- 
dered hair,  much  better  dressed  than  I — stood  at  the 
door,  at  our  departure,  with  a  queer  expression  on 
his  face,  evidently  expecting  something.  I  positively 
could  not  offer  the  gentleman,  who  stood  with  sleek 
face  and  white  "choaker,"  money.  It  seemed  to  me 
it  must  be  an  offense,  or  insult  to  him.  I  would 
gladly  have  given  double  what  he  expected,  to  be  re- 
leased from  my  embarrassment.  After  I  left  the 
house,  I  said  to  a  friend:  "Do  you  suppose  that  gen- 
tlemanly-looking fellow  would  have  taken  money, 
had  I  offered  it  to  him?" 

"Wouldn't  he?"  was  the  reply,  with  a  hearty  laugh 
at  my  simplicity;  "you  just  try  it  the  next  time,  and 
see.  Why,  he  got  half  a  crown  from  me." 

At  some  of  the  hotels  it  is  a  perfect  nuisance.  I 
remember  at  Canterbury,  I  invited  a  friend  to  take  a 
chop  with  me.  We  were  served  with  two  mutton 
chops,  two  small  potatoes,,  and  bread.  The  charge 
was  five  shillings, — about  a  dollar  and  a  half.  After 
I  had  paid  the  bill,  the  waiter,  whose  only  office  was 
to  bring  our  fare  to  the  table,  stood  right  in  my  way, 
and  with  a  sniff  and  a  smile,  said :  "  Please  to  remem- 
ber the  waiter,  sir." 

"Why,  you  do  not  expect  me  to  give  you  any 
money,  for  putting  the  chop,  potatoes,  and  bread  on 
the  table,  after  paying  five  shillings — do  you?" 

"These  are  our  wails,  sir,  and  we  gets  no  other 
wages,  and  excuse  me,  sir,  but  gentlemen  always  does 
it,  sir;"  (with  a  strong  emphasis  on  gentlemen.)  Of 
course,  he  got  the  sixpence;  and  though  I  had  no 
objection  to  giving  the  man  a  sixpence,  I  felt  fleeced. 


496  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHJT   B.  GOUGH. 

When  walking  on  Castle  Hill,  Edinburgh,  a  seedy- 
looking  man  came  up  to  me,  and  touching  his  hat, 
said:  "I  beg  your  pardon  sir,  but  that  is  Heriot's 
Hospital  yonder,  built  by  the  Goldsmith  of  James 
the  Sixth." 

"Yes,"  I  replied,  "I  know  it  is." 

"And  that,  sir,"  he  said,  pointing  towards  it,  "is 
Donaldson's  Hospital,  one  of  the  finest  modern  build- 
ings in  Scotland." 

I  said,  "  Yes,  sir,  I  am  aware  of  it." 

Then  he  inquired:  "Have  you  ever  seen  the 
house  where  Burk  and  Hare  committed  their  horrid 
murders?" 

"No,"  I  said,  "I  have  never  seen  the  house." 

That  was  sufficient.  He  came  close  to  me,  and, 
directing  my  attention  across  the  wilderness  of  house- 
tops, said:  "There,  sir,  do  you  see  that  yellow  house, 
the  gable  end  this  way,  with  the  heavy  chimney? — 
that  is  the  house.  And  here,  sir,  is  the  house  where 
Mary,  Queen  of  Scots,  lived  ;  and  they  say  she  often 
sat  at  that  mullioned  window ;  and  there,  opposite,  is 
the  house  occupied  in  the  olden  time  by  the  cele- 
brated Duke  of  Argyle;  and  that,  sir,  is  David's 
tower;  and  this  rock  is  called  "Dun  Edin," — that  is 
its  ancient  name;  and  there  is  the  Grass-market, 
where  the  Covenanters  suffered;  and  there  are  the 
Pentland  Hills;  and  over  there  is  Calton  Hill,  with 
the  unfinished  monument  for  Nelson's  victories;  and 
there  is  Inchkeith,  in  the  Frith  of  Forth;  and  further 
on  is  the  Bass  Rock, — the  coast  runs  round  to  Dun- 
bar,  near  which  the  battle  of  Preston  Pans  was 
fought,  and  Colonel  Gardiner  was  killed ; — this  is  the 
old  town,  and  over  the  bridge  is  the  new  town;  there 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     497 

is  Scott's  monument,  on  Princes  street;  down  here  is 
the  West  Port;  and  at  the  foot  of  the  Canongate  is 
the  Sanctuary,  and  Holyrood  Palace,  where" — etc. 

All  this  he  rattled  off  with  such  rapidity,  that  I  could 
not  stop  him,  to  tell  him,  that  I  had  visited  most  of 
these  localities;  but  at  last  I  did  manage  to  say:  "I 
am  very  much  obliged  to  you,  sir,  for  your  informa- 
tion, but  I  must  wish  you  good  day." 

Taking  off  his  hat  and  holding  out  his  hand,  he 
said,  in  a  half  whining  tone,  very  different  from  his 
descriptive  one,  "Please,  sir,  I  get  my  living  by  this." 
Of  course  he  obtained  his  gratuity. 

I  was  sometimes  vexed  when  we  were  keeping 
house.  If  I  engaged  a  man  to  do  a  job,  to  dig  in  the 
garden,  slate  my  roof,  empty  the  dust-bin,  look  after 
a  leaky  gas-pipe,  or  carry  a  parcel  for  me,  after  I  had 
paid  him  his  price,  sneaking  and  whining,  ashamed 
to  look  me  in  the  face,  he  would  inquire  if  I  had  as 
many  half  pence  in  my  pocket  as  would  buy  him  a 
pint  of  beer. 

If  I  go  into  a  factory,  and  some  mechanic  explains 
to  me  the  excellencies  or  intricacies  of  the  machinery, 
when  I  thank  him,  and  wish  him  good  day,  he'll  ask 
me  for  a  pint  of  beer.  When  walking  in  the  fields,  I 
ask  that  laboring  man  the  nearest  way  to  the  village 
church  yonder,  he  will  give  me  the  information  with 
a  dastardly,  snivelling  demand  for  beer.  I  hold,  that 
a  workman  of  any  kind,  in  any  country,  who  asks  for 
money,  or  beer,  when  his  labor  is  paid  for  at  his  own 
price,  is  a  pest,  a  nuisance,  and  a  humbug. 

I  believe  there  is  a  great  improvement  in  all  this, 
within  the  past  few  years,  and  the  custom  will,  by 
and  by,  be  utterly  abolished  by  the  good  sense  of  the 


498     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

people,  and  go  down  to  oblivion ;  and  the  sooner  the 
better  for  the  workman,  even  more  than  for  those 
who  have  suffered  from  the  imposition. 

So  many  Americans  have  traveled  in  England,  and 
their  experiences  have  been  so  extensively  published, 
that  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  give  my  impressions 
at  large  of  the  railways  of  Great  Britain.  I  traveled 
more  than  sixty  thousand  miles  in  the  kingdom  dur- 
ing the  five  years  of  my  sojourn  there  and,  knowing 
something  of  English  railway  traveling  will  just  state 
that  one  train  each  day  must  run  on  all  roads  for  a 
penny  per  mile,  according  to  "  Act  of  Parliament." 
These  are  called  Parliamentary  trains.  The  fares  are 
generally, — third  class,  about  a  penny  per  mile ;  sec- 
ond class,  two  pence ;  first  class,  three  pence ;  and  ex- 
press, taking  only  first  class  passengers,  about  three 
pence  half-penny  per  mile.  Although  the  passengers 
in  the  express  trains  are  in  almost  every  respect  a  con- 
trast to  the  Parliamentary,  yet  the  leveling  tendency 
of  the  railway  system  is  plainly  exhibited.  The  Earl 
of  Duke,  whose  dignity  once  compelled  him  to  post 
in  a  coupe  and  four,  takes  his  place  now,  unnoticed,  in 
the  corner  of  a  carriage,  opposite  a  traveler  for  a  mer- 
cantile house,  or  side  by  side  with  the  landlady  of  a 
lodging-house. 

The  working  of  the  railway  is  very  complete ; — I 
speak  of  the  "London  and  North-western."  This  line 
is  divided  into  districts  of  from  seventeen  to  thirty 
miles,  to  each  of  which  is  appointed  an  over-looker, 
whose  district  is  subdivided  into  lengths  of  one  to  two 
miles,  and  to  each  of  them  is  appointed  a  foreman 
with  a  gang  of  two  or  three  men.  Every  morning 
before  the  first  train  passes,  the  foreman  is  required 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     499 

to  walk  over  his  length,  to  inspect  it,  and  especially 
ascertain  that  each  of  the  keys  securing  the  rails  is 
firmly  fixed. 

The  duties  of  the  engine-driver  are  much  more 
severe  than  with  us,  they  having  little  or  no  protec- 
tion, standing  almost  like  the  figure-head  of  a  ship, 
perhaps  dashing  into  a  gale  of  wind  from  the  north- 
west, at  the  rate  of  forty  miles  an  hour ;  suffering 
from  cold,  and  often  their  clothes  drenched  with  rain. 
They  generally  drive  their  engine  from  one  hundred 
to  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  each  day.  When 
the  engine  is  brought  in,  the  driver  carefully  exam- 
ines it,  reporting  in  a  book  what  repairs  are  needed ; 
if  none,  he  reports  it  correct.  Then  the  foreman  of 
the  fitters  examines  it;  if  anything  is  found  out  of 
order,  he  reports  the  driver.  Then  a  third  examina- 
tion is  made  by  the  superintending  engineer  of  the 
station;  if  he  detects  any  defect,  he  reports  both  en- 
gine driver  and  foreman. 

The  station  at  Euston  Square  is  a  very  fine  one, 
lighted  from  the  top  by  nearly  two  acres  of  plate 
glass.  Your  cab  brings  you  to  the  magnificent  front, 
and  on  through  a  square  court-yard,  leaving  you  at 
the  entrance  to  the  platform;  the  door  opens  with 
surprising  alacrity,  and  a  civil  porter,  as  you  alight, 
takes  all  your  baggage,  telling  you,  "You'll  find  it 
on  the  platform,  sir."  You  purchase  your  ticket,  pro- 
ceed to  the  platform,  and  find  it  on  a  barrow,  guarded 
by  a  porter.  "Now  then,  sir,  claim  your  luggage." 
It  is  then  ticketed,  and  placed  either  in  a  luggage 
van,  or  on  the  carriage  you  occupy.  Their  first-class 
cars,  or  carriages,  are  very  comfortable,  though  our 
drawing-room  coaches  far  exceed  them,  both  in  lux- 


500     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

ury  and  convenience.  Their  second-class  carriages 
are  barely  comfortable;  while  the  third-class  are  de- 
cidedly unpleasant  to  travel  in. 

The  scene  on  the  departure  of  a  train  is  quite  ex- 
citing. People  of  good  character,  bad  character,  and 
no  character,  children  and  old  people,  tall  and  short 
men,  big  and  little  women;  some  looking  for  friends, 
others  avoiding  acquaintances;  here,  a  bridal  party, 
and  there,  a  painful  parting;  boys  running  along  by  the 
train  with  "  Times ! "  "  Telegraph ! "  "  News ! "  "  Star !  "— 
people  of  all  countries,  religions,  and  languages,  either 
separating  from  friends,  or  quietly  taking  their  seats 
in  the  carriages.  We  do  not  hear  from  the  guard, 
"All  aboard!"  as  from  our  conductor  here;  but,  "Now 
then,  take  seats,  take  seats,  passengers  for  the  north 
please  take  seats.''  A  ticket  agent  passes  the  whole 
length  of  the  train, — "Please  show  your  tickets,"  or 
"tickets,  please,"  or  Tickets!  according  to  the  class 
of  passengers.  Then,  "All  right!"  a  sharp  whistle, 
and  the  train  moves  slowly,  almost  imperceptibly, 
faster,  faster,  on,  on,  till  you  are  whizzing  at  the  rate 
of  forty  miles  an  hour.  The  rate  of  travel  is  higher 
than  in  this  country.  I  once  rode  fifty-three  miles  in 
fifty-seven  minutes,  timing  it  by  my  watch,  from  Ox- 
ford to  London. 

I  was  always  interested  in  the  arrival  of  a  train 
after  dark, — the  gas-lights,  two  hundred  and  fifty-two 
in  number,  are  screwed  down  to  the  minimum,  and  all 
is  still,  save  the  hissing  of  some  pilot  engine ;  on  a 
sudden  is  heard  a  mysterious  moan,  followed  by  the 
violent  ringing  of  a  bell.  That  instant,  on  and  above 
a  curve  of  nine  hundred  feet,  each  gas-light  -bursts 
into  full  power.  That  moaning,  or  low,  melancholy 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     501 

whine,  which  will  continue  uninterruptedly  for  five 
minutes,  is  caused  by  air,  condensed  in  a  hydraulic 
machine.  An  officer  in  Camden  Station,  two  miles 
away,  having  charge  of  this  machine,  allows  a  portion 
of  air  to  rush  through  an  inch  pipe,  and  this  conveys 
to  the  signal  man,  watching  night  and  day,  the  ar- 
rival of  the  train  at  that  station.  The  signal  man 
immediately  rings  his  bell,  and,  taking  with  him  three 
flags  or  lamps, — danger  (red),  caution  (green),  secu- 
rity (white), — proceeds  down  the  line  to  a  point  from 
which  he  can  see  another  signal  man, — he  also  being 
in  sight  of  another, — and  he  of  another, — between 
the  stations.  On  no  account  can  the  train  leave  the 
platform  at  Camden,  until  the  guard  has  received 
through  the  air-pipes  at  the  signal  office,  the  notice, 
"All  clear."  In  a  very  few  minutes,  the  long, .dark- 
colored,  dusty  train  comes  gliding  into  the  station. 
Porters  unfasten  the  doors  of  the  carriages,  and  the 
passengers  take  their  departure  by  the  various  vehi- 
cles iri  readiness  to  convey  them. 

Close  to  each  departure  gate,  there  is  stationed  a 
person  who  challenges  the  driver — "Number  of  your 
cab?"  "782."  "How  many  passengers?"  "Two." 
"Where  are  you  going?"  "No.  8  Edith  Grove,  Bromp- 
ton."  "All  right h"  This  information  is  recorded  in 
a  book.  Thus  any  traveler  desirous  of  complaining 
of  a  cab-man,  or  who  may  have  left  property  in  the 
carriage,  simply  states  on  what  day  and  by  what  train 
he  arrived,  and  where  he  was  conveyed,  and  the  name 
of  the  driver  can  be  ascertained. 

I  derived  many  of  the  statistics,  and  much  informa- 
tion in  reference  to  railway  management,  from  a  little 
work  entitled  "Stokers  and  Pokers." 


502     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

In  passing  through  the  principal  towns,  one  source 
of  amusement  to  me  was  the  signs, — some  quaint, 
others  comical,  some  appropriate,  others  absurd,  some 
suggestive,  and  others  without  meaning.  The  Queen 
being  popular,  there  is  a  great  desire  to  be  considered 
as  doing  business  under  her  auspices.  This  leads  to 
curious  incongruities.  There  are  not  only  butchers, 
bakers,  shoe-makers,  hosiers,  coach-makers,  and  gen- 
eral purveyors  to  " her  majesty;"  but  the  Queen  has 
also  her  "breeches-maker."  I  saw  a  card  on  which  a 
man  styles  himself  "Illuminating  artist  to  her  maj- 
esty," indicating  that  he  lights  the  lamps  about  Buck- 
ingham Palace. 

A  writer  in  "Notes  and  Queries"  speaks  of  a  sign 
in  the  window  of  a  public  house, — "Siste  viator,  mo- 
nitas  mendita  sciantic  fatisque," — which  means,  stop 
traveler,  an  unheard  of  novelty,  a  combination  of 
science  and  drinking,  a  glass  of  ale  and  a  galvanic 
shock  for  two  pence.  "Intra  bila  suscipe  solon." 

I  heard  of  a  funny  sign  over  a  hair-dresser  and  wig- 
maker's  shop,  with  a  picture  of  Absalom  hanging  on 
a  tree  by  the  hair  of  his  head,  and  David  lamenting, 
mournfully  exclaiming: 

"Oh!  Absalom,  my  son,  my  son, 
Thou  would'st  not  have  died  if  thou'd'st  had  a  wig  on." 

At  Wolverhampton  I  saw  a  sign  over  a  beer  shop, 
"  Calm  retreat,  by  Hannah  More,  licensed  to  be  drunk 
on  the  premises ; "  in  Nottingham,  a  public  house 
sign,  "  Henry  Kirke  White  ; "  in  Birmingham,  "  The 
Hen  and  Chickens."  I  collected  quite  a  large  num- 
ber of  those  I  had  seen,  but  the  list  of  them  is  lost. 

Near  my  residence  at  Brompton,  there  is  "The 
Goat  and  Compasses."  Tradition  tells  us  it  is  a  cor- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OP  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     503 

ruption  of  the  old  Puritan  sign,  "God  encompasses 
us."  In  Shoreditch  there  is  a  sign  called  the  "Three 
Loggerheads," — a  picture  of  two  men  seated  at  a 
table,  and  underneath,  the  lines, — 

"  We  three,  loggerheads  be." 

I  saw  a  beer  shop  with  a  sign,  "The  Widow's  La- 
ment;" another,  in  Oxford  Street,  "The  Mischief;" 
at  the  land's  end,  "The  First  and  the  Last."  You  will 
find  the  "Cat  and  Muffin,"  "Cat  and  Fiddle,"  "Pig 
and  Whistle,"  "Cat  and  Gridiron,"  "Goat  in  Boots," 
"The  World  Upside  Down,"  "Hit  or  Miss,"  "The 
Green  Man,"  "Getting  through  the  World,"  "Bull 
and  Looking-glass," — Bulls  and  Bears  of  all  colors. 
One  sign  is  the  picture  of  a  woman  with  her  head 
cut  off,  called  "The  Silent  Woman."  In  fact,  the 
curious  signs  are  innumerable.  I  speak  only  of  those 
I  remember  to  have  seen.  A  very  ingenious  and  in- 
teresting book  of  more  than  five  hundred  pages  has 
been  lately  published,  entitled  "  The  History  of  Sign- 
boards," containing,  as  far  as  can  be  ascertained,  the 
origin  and  history  of  the  numerous  signs  to  be  found 
in  Great  Britain, — an  exceedingly  amusing  volume, 
to  those  who  are  at  all  interested  in  sign-board  lit- 
erature. 


CHAPTER  XXXm. 

Reform  in  England — English  Mind — American  Mind — Women's  Work 
in  England — "Beautiful  Work" — Fetes  for  the  People — Parlor  Meet- 
ings— Carshalton  Park — Poor  Women  from  London — Flowers — One 
Bright  Day. 

IN  April,  1853,  the  London  Times  said:  "The  great 
difficulty  with  those  who  would  innovate  and  im- 
prove, is  to  persuade  the  English  mind  that  such  in- 
novations and  improvements  are  possible.  This  point 
once  gained,  we  may  be  sure  success  is  near  at  hand; 
for  it  seems  to  be  a  habit  of  the  public,  stubbornly 
to  deny  the  practicability  of  anything  which  is  not 
immediately  to  take  place."  And  again  the  writer 
says :  "So  wedded  are  we  to  custom,  so  hampered  by 
precedent,  so  enslaved  by  habit,  that  we  cannot  bring 
ourselves  to  believe  that  what  is  wrong  in  our  pro- 
ceedings, can  possibly  be  corrected,  or  what  is  right 
in  the  practices  of  our  neighbors,  can  possibly  be 
adopted." 

Here  is  the  key  to  the  difficulty  of  moving  the 
public  mind  of  England  toward  anything  new  or 
strange.  They  seldom  jump  to  conclusions,  but 
make  their  approaches  carefully,  and  almost  timidly, 
as  though  fearful  of  being  caught. 

Notwithstanding  their  audiences,  especially  among 
the  working  men,  are  wonderfully  enthusiastic,  it  re- 
quires almost  as  much,  to  make  an  Englishman  ac- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     505 

cept  a  new  proposition,  or  adopt  a  new  measure,  as 
Sydney  Smith  said  it  required  to  make  a  Scotchman 
understand  a  joke.  All  theii*  great  reforms  have  been 
successful,  only  through  patient  working  on  the  part 
of  their  advocates.  Years  of  labor  were  needed  to 
secure  the  repeal  of  the  corn-laws;  but  when  they 
become  fully  satisfied  that  a  measure  is  right  and 
possible,  no  nation  on  earth  will  more  persistently 
and  doggedly  carry  out  the  purpose  to  gain  the  de- 
sired results. 

The  Committee  of  the  House  of  Commons,  pro- 
nounced railways  an  impossibility;  but  Great  Britain 
can  now  boast  of  the  best-constructed  railways  in  the 
world.  Chat  Moss  "could  not  be  drained;" — now, 
hundreds  pass  daily  over  that  once-dreaded  morass, 
on  the  magnificent  causeway  built  by  the  indefatiga- 
ble labors  of  George  Stephenson.  It  was  deemed  im- 
possible that  London  could  be  tunneled  for  railways, 
— now,  the  arteries  of  travel  reach  in  every  direction, 
and  the  "  Under-ground  Railway  "  is  a  success.  For 
years  it  was  considered  impracticable  to  cleanse  the 
river  Thames,  and  transform  a  putrid  ditch  (which  it 
had  become)  into  a  pure  and  healthy  river, — now,  the 
splendid  embankment  of  the  Thames,  and  the  magnifi- 
cent system  of  drainage  are  the  wonder  of  the  world. 
Slavery  was  a  "  fixed  fact,"  and  could  not  be  abolished 
in  the  Colonies, — years  since,  Great  Britain,  at  an  ex- 
pense of  millions,  abolished  the  institution  of  slavery 
in  every  portion  of  her  dominions.  England  declared 
that  our  Union  could  not  be  preserved  amid  the  hor- 
ror and  desolation  of  a  civil  war — that  it  was  impossi- 
ble we  could  ever  exist  again  as  a  united  people ; — 
but  now,  in  our  restored  prosperity,  with  the  certainty 


506     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

that,  by  God's  blessing,  we  shall  become  a  freer  and 
more  united  people  than  ever  before, — England  ac- 
cepts the  position,  and,""  convinced  by  the  logic  of 
facts,  of  our  stability  as  a  united  people,  is  ready  to 
recognize  our  importance  among  the  nations ;  and 
many  who  shook  their  heads,  not  merely  in  doubt, 
but  with  pity  for  our  assured  destruction,  congratulate 
themselves  to-day  that  they  were  not  entangled  by 
Confederate  bonds.  This  stubbornness  and  dogged- 
ness  work  both  ways, — in  strenuously  denying  the 
possibility  of  the  success  of  a  project,  and,  when  con- 
vinced that  it  is  feasible,  working  for  it  with  a  deter- 
mined perseverance  worthy  of  admiration. 

The  cry  of  "Reform,"  there,  is  no  vain  cry — it 
is  the  voice  of  the  people,  and  cannot  be  silenced. 
Gradually,  but  surely,  will  England's  abuses  be  abol- 
ished. For  years  the  nuisance  of  Smithfield  Market 
was  well-nigh  intolerable,  yet  borne  with  almost  he- 
roic patience,  till  the  possibility  of  its  removal  was 
recognized,  and  then — the  nuisance  disappeared  at 
once. 

Many  of  their  public  journals  are  amusing,  from 
their  alternate  assertions  and  retractions,  not  only  in 
reference  to  their  own  affairs,  but  in  regard  to  those 
of  other  nations,  political,  religious,  and  domestic. 

The  great  difficulty  experienced  in  advocating  the 
temperance  question  is,  or  was,  the  dogged,  arbitrary 
condemnation  of  the  principles  involved,  a  stolidity 
of  perception,  and  an  expressed  belief  in  the  impossi- 
bility of  establishing  those  principles  among  them. 
And  yet,  the  temperance  movement  is  steadily  in- 
creasing in  power  and  influence.  Some  of  the  lead- 
ers are  far-seeing  men,  and  look  not  only  to  the 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     507 

direct  results,  but  to  the  future  development  of  the 
harvest,  of  which  they  are  patiently,  in  spite  of  all 
discouragements,  sowing  the  seed.  I  know  no  men 
who  are  more  deserving  of  all  praise,  than  the  steady, 
persevering  advocates  of  reform — political,  church, 
and  moral — in  Great  Britain. 

When  success  crowns  the  efforts  put  forth  to  estab- 
lish any  new  principle  or  project,  often  the  most  per- 
sistent .doubters  and  opposers,  are  the  first  to  avail 
themselves  of  any  privileges  or  advantages  arising 
from  that  success ;  and  the  false  prophets  are  often 
ashamed  of  their  own  prophecies. 

In  this  age  of  wonderful  progress  we  hardly  dare 
to  affirm  that  anything  is  impossible.  Those  of  us 
who  remember  forty  years  ago,  and  see  the  wonder- 
ful advance  made  in  science,  mechanics,  and  useful 
inventions,  can  realize  the  important  changes  wrought 
during  that  period.  Truly,  we  live  in  a  time  when 
"men  run  to  and  fro  in  the  earth,  and  knowledge  is 
increased  ;"  and  yet  every  useful  invention,  from  the 
friction  match  to  the  Atlantic  cable,  and  Pacific  Rail- 
road, has  fought  its  way  to  success,  against  argument 
.and  opposition.  What  a  change,  from  the  flint,  and 
steel,  and  tinder,  when  we  knocked  the  skin  from  our 
knuckles  for  a  spark,  and  then  puffed  with  watery 
eyes,  amid  the  fumes  of  brimstone,  and  the  smoke  of 
tinder  for  a  blaze,  to  the  instantaneous  ignition !  an 
apparently  trivial  matter,  but  ranking  among  the  first 
of  useful  and  important  modern  inventions.  Steam 
navigation,  the  railroad  system,  telegraph  operation, 
have  developed  in  such  rapid  succession,  that  we  are 
fairly  startled  by  the  wonderful  revolution  in  all  that 
affects  our  comfort  or  convenience ;  and  looking  into 


508     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

the  future,  as  we  turn  to  the  past,  we  are  inclined  to 
bury  all  incredulity,  and  say  reverently,  "All  things 
are  possible." 

A  gentleman,  writing  to  me  from  Montreal,  gives 
me  the  following:  "Once  in  coming  from  school, 
when  a  little  boy,  I  heard  a  man  singing  in  a  street 
of  London  the  following  ditty,  (this  was  in  1811,) 
and  when  I  arrived  home,  I  said:  ' Mother,  I  heard 
a  man  singing, — 

" '  Coaches  soon  will  run  by  steam, 

Hodges'  gin  is  very  strong, 
St.  Paul's  does  stand  behind  Queen  Anne, 
And  when  you're  right  you  can't  be  wrong.' 

"'0,  my  dear,'  said  my  mother,  'How  wicked — 
coaches  going  by  steam !  If  a  boat  can  go  by  steam, 
a  coach  never  can.  However,  my  boy,  'tis  true 
Hodges'  gin  is  strong,  for  it  knocked  down  old  Mr. 
Oliver,  and  you  know  he's  a  big  man ;  St.  Paul's  does 
stand  behind  the  statue  of  Queen  Anne;  and  if 
you're  right  you  can't  be  wrong; — but  its  very  wrong 
to  say  coaches  soon  will  go  by  steam.' 

"  But  the  old  lady  lived  long  enough  to  see  the 
first  steam-coach  in  London,  and  when  she  did,  she 
exclaimed — 'My  deary  me!'" 

I  was  once  quite  amused,  while  traveling  over  the 
Western  Railroad,  now  the  Boston  and  Albany.  At 
Springfield,  I  purchased  a  book  to  while  away  the 
time.  I  happened  to  get  "  Capt.  Basil  Hall's  travels 
in  North  America,"  and,  as  I  passed  over  the  Hoosac 
Mountain,  I  read  his  very  graphic  description  of  a 
ride  over  these  hills  in  a  stage-coach.  After  dwelling 
on  the  scenery,  the  ravines,  the  gorges,  the  high  rocky 
hills,  the  winding  of  the  rapid  river,  he  said:  "These 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     509 

Yankees  talk  of  constructing  a  railroad  over  this 
route.  As  a  practical  engineer,  I  pronounce  it  sim- 
ply impossible."  With  the  book  in  my  hand,  my 
eyes  on  the  word  "impossible,"  I  was  smoothly  as- 
cending the  mountain,  several  hundred  feet  rise  in 
twenty  miles>  the  "iron  horse,"  with  six  driving 
wheels,  snorting  up  the  heavy  grade,  and  scores  of 
passengers  happily  unconscious  that  the  English  trav- 
eler and  engineer  had  pronounced  this  success  an 
impossibility. 

After  all,  I  think  I  prefer  the  steady  approach,  the 
persistent  opposition  till  convinced  by  arguments  that 
cannot  be  resisted,  to  the  volatile  assent,  and  hasty 
adoption  of  measures — especially  those  that  require 
self-denial  in  the  steadfast  adherence  to  them.  I  be- 
lieve the  number  who  violate  their  pledge  in  Great 
Britain,  is  far  less  than  in  this  country.  The  re- 
formers there  make  it  a  serious  business.  They 
know  the  character  of  the  people,  and  the  minds  on 
which  they  must  operate,  and  their  work  is  more  per- 
manent and  thorough.  We  have  a  "Maine  Law," 
and  public  sentiment  is  far  stronger  in  our  favor,  yet 
I  have  more  confidence  in  the  stability  of  the  tem- 
perance movement,  and  stronger  hopes  of  its  speedy 
success  there,  than  I  have  here,  with  all  our  advan- 
tages, and  the  progress  we  had  made  years  ago  in 
advance  of  them.  In  fact,  I  believe  we  have  been 
retrograding  while  they  have  been  progressing.  I 
may  be  wrong,  but  these  are  my  convictions;  and 
till  we  are  ready  to  work,  as  we  did,  with  the  pledge, 
with  the  young,  and  devote  our  attention  more  to  the 
enlightenment  and  instruction  of  the  public  mind,  and 
less  to  the  vituperation  and  abuse  of  -those  who  differ 
32 


610     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

with  us  about  measures,  but  are  as  firm  and  true  as 
we  in  their  love  for  the  great  cause  itself, — we  shall 
continue  to  retrograde. 

There  is  a  large  amount  of  good  effected  in  England 
by  self-denying  women.  Let  any  person  read  "  En- 
glish Hearts  and  English  Hands,"  or  "  The  Missing 
Link,"  and  he  will  see  what  women  are  doing  of 
Christian  work  among  the  poor.  The  temperance 
cause  owes  much  to  the  efforts  of  women,  among  the 
laboring  classes.  Read  "Haste  to  the  Rescue,"  or 
"Ragged  Homes,  and  How  to  Mend  them,"  or  "Work- 
men and  their  Difficulties,"  and  you  will  gain  an  in- 
sight into  this  sphere  of  labor,  that  will  convince  you 
such  efforts  must  be  successful  in  the  end.  No  dis- 
couragements hinder,  no  opposition  checks  them; 
their  purposes  seem  strengthened  by  the  blasts  of  ad- 
verse criticism.  I  met  the  men  and  women  who  have 
been  gathered  in  the  "Kensington  Potteries"  by  Mrs. 
Bayley,  and  I  spent  a  few  days  at  Shrewsbury,  the 
guest  of  Rev.  Charles  Wightman,  whose  noble  wife 
has  accomplished  a  wonderful  work  among  the  deni- 
zens of  Butcher's  Row.  A  lady  by  birth  and  educa- 
tion, ailing  in  health  for  years,  but  becoming  grieved  in 
her  soul  at  the  desolation  and  misery  of  the  wretched 
families  in  that  locality?  commenced  investigations  as 
to  the  cause  and  the  possible  remedy.  She  found  that 
intoxicating  drink  was  the  prime  source  of  this  deg- 
radation, uncleanliness  and  sin.  Her  first  movement 
was  to  sign  the  temperance  pledge,  in  the  face  of  re- 
monstrance from  physicians,  who  said  she  could  not 
live  without  stimulants;  then  went  among  the  people 
quietly,  and  asked  them  to  do  as  she  did.  She  thus 
gained  the  respect  and  confidence  of  the  men  and 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     511 

women ;  and  when  I  was  there,  I  addressed  an  audi- 
ence of  more  than  three  hundred,  who  were  members 
of  her  society.  She  has  recorded  some  of  the  results 
of  her  labor  in  that  thrillingly  interesting  work, — 
"Haste  to  the  Rescue."  I  will  take  the  liberty  of 
inserting  here  portions  of  a  letter  she  wrote  to  me, 
dated  September  4,  1859 : 

My  Dear  Friend, — I  received  your  kind  letter  this  morning,  and, 
having  a  little  leisure  for  a  few  minutes,  will  hastily  tell  you  some  facts 
respecting  my  beautiful  work  at  home.  •» 

On  August  1st,  last  year,  I  had  twenty  teetotalers.  On  August  1st, 
this  year,  I  had  two  hundred  and  thirty,  and  we  still  keep  increasing 
our  numbers.  Besides  these  men,  I  have  about  one  hundred  women, 
by  far  the  largest  number  of  whom  were  the  most  sober,  industrious 
and  excellent  wives  of  the  whole  set.  This  has  been  to  my  society  the 
greatest  help  possible ;  for  scarcely  a  man  ever  breaks  the  pledge,  whose 
wife  is  whole-hearted  on  the  subject.  I  therefore  entreat  every  wife  to 
sign!  With  the  exception  of  the  first  six  men,  I  have  hardly  asked  a 
man  to  sign.  They  have  come  to  me  as  perfect  strangers,  asking  me 
to  receive  them.  This  clears  me  from  any  charge  of  making  proselytes, 
the  honest  conviction  of  every  man  being  on  my  side.  And  it  is  a 
very  trying  fact,  that  the  publicans  do  me  less  damage  than  the  doctors 
do.  The  reason  is  obvious  :  no  amount  of  temptation  from  a  publican 
will  break  down  a  good  staunch  member;  they  feel  that  an  interested 
motive  may  be  at  the  bottom  of  their  importunity;  but  when  a  man 
feels  out  of  sorts, — as  everybody  will  feel  occasionally — especially  men 
who  are  out  in  all  weathers,  and  getting  into  violent  heats  in  their  work, 
etc., — then,  when  a  medical  prescription  comes  in  the  form  of  porter, 
ale,  brandy,  or  gin, — all  of  which  have,  at  various  times,  been  recom- 
mended by  the  faculty, — then  it  is  that  a  feeling  of  duty  to  follow  the 
prescription  comes  in;  and,  coupled  with  the  enticements  of  the  traitor 
within,  that  man  is  sure,  almost,  to  go  back  to  drunkenness;  and  in- 
stead of  gaining  any  benefit  from  the  stimulant,  he  seldom  returns  to 
me  (if  he  returns  a.t  all)  until  he  has  spent  from  two  to  twenty  pounds, 
and  until  he  arrives  at  a  degree  below  the  condition  in  which  he  at  first 
came  before  me.  We  made  a  rule  to  meet  these  disasters,  last  Tuesday 
week,  which  I  give  you  below,  to  which  a  full  meeting  gave  unanimous 
content. 


512     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

NEW    KULE. 

"  No  member  shall  be  allowed  to  take  porter,  or  any  other  intoxicat- 
ing drink,  even  by  a  medical  man's  prescription,  unless  he  is  unable  to 
work.  He  must  then  produce  a  medical  certificate,  stating  the  quantity 
to  be  taken,  and  the  hours  when.  Any  member  infringing  this  rule,  or 
acting  contrary  to  such  certificate,  by  drinking  at  any  other  times,  or  in 
any  other  quantity,  shall  be  expelled  from  the  society." 

I  have  had  a  most  enjoyable  time  in  Manchester  these  two  days,  en- 
tirely amongst  the  working-classes — chiefly  the  night-soil  men — in  com- 
pany with  one  of  the  best  city  missionaries  in  the  world.  There  are 
some  sterling  Christian  teetotalers  amongst  them.  But  I  must  not 
take  up  your  time  further.  I  believe  that  some  of  my  men  are  equal 
to  any  in  the  kingdom,  for  every  quality  of  heart  and  mind;  true- 
hearted,  staunch,  independent,  spirited  men — full  of  affection,  and 
every  generous  feeling.  And  now,  dear  friend,  adieu !  Believe  me, 
yours  very  sincerely,  JULIA  B.  WIGHTMAN. 

P.  S. — I  have  for  fifteen  years  been  constantly  ailing — weak,  ill, 
good  for  nothing,  until  I  signed  the  pledge,  and  now  for  one  twelve- 
month I  have  been  independent  of  medical  aid — thank  God.  In  spite 
of  all  my  real  hard  work — five  nights  a  week  from  house  to  house  till 
past  ten,  and  not  once  in  bed  till  twelve  o'clock,  or  past ;  and  up  gen- 
erally at  half-past  six,  A.  M.  I  signed  March  21,  1853. 

In  many  places  where  I  was  a  guest,  I  found  the 
ladies  of  the  family  busily  and  earnestly  engaged  in 
endeavoring  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  the  poor, 
by  inculcating  temperance,  visiting  them,  reading  to 
them,  and  trying  to  teach  them  cleanliness  and  habits 
of  thrift.  I  know  one  family  where  the  lovely  and 
refined  Christian  daughters  went  day  by  day  to  read 
to  the  navvies,  working  on  the  railroad,  during 
their  dinner  hour.  A  young  lady  might  be  seen 
seated  on  a  block  of  stone,  surrounded  by  the  rough 
men  eating  their  meal,  while  she  read  to  them.  The 
Queen  could  hardly  be  treated  with  more  genuine 
respect  than  were  these  young  ladies.  Eyes  would 
brighten  as  they  approached,  and  the  hard-handed 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     515 

laborer,  would  spread  his  old  jacket  on  the  stone  for 
the  delicate  lady  to  sit  on.  This  is  what  Mrs.  Wight- 
man  calls  a  "  beautiful  work"  No  company  or  amuse- 
ment could  keep  these  ladies  from  this  employment. 
I  would  hear,  "  Please  excuse  us  for  an  hour — we  are 
going  to  our  men."  By  such  work  as  this  the  seed  is 
sown,  and  He  who  sends  such  laborers  into  His  field, 
will  give  the  harvest. 

The  work  outside  of  the  temperance  organization 
is  very  extensive;  gentlemen  of  property  devoting 
themselves  personally  to  the  interests  of  the  poorer 
classes.  This  work  is  all  unknown  to  the  traveler, 
who  takes  a  cursory  view  of  things ;  to  know  what  is 
doing,  we  must  see  the  people,  not  on  the  highways 
of  travel,  but  in  their  houses,  and  on  their  estates. 
Samuel  Bowly,  of  Horsepools,  near  Gloucester,  gives 
an  annual  fete  to  the  people,  procuring  for  them  the 
best  speakers — refreshments — and,  though  he  is  a 
member  of  the  "Society  of  Friends,"  provides  for 
them  music.  Joseph  Tucker,  of  Pavenham  Bury,  a 
large  landed  proprietor,  gives  a  fete  in  his  splendid 
park  to  his  people,  and  those  from-  other  parishes  who 
choose  to  come.  Potto  Brown,  of  Houghton,  Hunt- 
ingtonshire,  on  the  annual  "feast,"  or  show,  attracts 
the  people  from  the  drinking  and  dancing  booths,  to 
an  entertainment  in  tents,  decorated  with  flowers  and 
evergreens — drawing  them  from  drink  to  healthy 
amusements,  cricket,  etc.,  engaging  the  services  of 
the  best  men  who  can  be  obtained  as  speakers,  striv- 
ing earnestly  and  heartily  to  advance  their  physical, 
moral,  and  spiritual  interests.  Many  others  I  might 
record,  having  visited  them,  and  been  honored  by 
their  hospitality. 


516     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

Another  form  of  unobtrusive  but  effective  effort 
was  in  holding  what  were  called  "Parlor  meetings." 
Gentlemen  like  Samuel  Bowly,  of  social  position, 
everywhere  respected,  and  gifted  with  the  power  of 
addressing  convincingly  the  largest  audiences,  would 
arrange  to  convene  in  their  own  drawing-room,  a 
picked  audience  from  the  vicinity,  and  either  with  or 
without  the  conciliatory  and  pleasant  hospitalities  of 
tea  or  lunch,  hold  a  conference  of  several  hours,  upon 
the  claims  of  the  movement.  In  this  way  many  a 
gentleman  or  lady  of  commanding  influence  was  won 
to  the  cause  ; — persons  whose  names  were  a  guarantee 
for  scores  of  others,  and  who  had  been  kept  aloof  from 
the  movement  through  offense  to  taste  or  culture, 
given  by  unfortunate  advocacy,  had,  in  these  meet- 
ings, prejudices  melted  away,  scruples  satisfied,  con- 
science quickened ;  and  consent  was  heartily  accorded 
to  espouse  the  cause ; — persons  who  would  have  re- 
mained long  years  untouched  by  other  means. 

Injudicious  advocacy  is  a  damage  rather  than  an 
aid,  in  advancing  the  interests  of  the  temperance 
cause.  A  dogmatic  assumption  of  superiority,  abuse 
of  those  who  differ  with  us,  or  an  arrogant  exaltation, 
that  would  seem  to  say, — "Stand  aside,  <I  am  holier 
than  thou,'  because  I  have  adopted  a  certain  remedy 
for  a  certain  evil," — will  never  recommend  the  move- 
ment to  the  sympathy  of  the  intelligent  and  refined. 

I  have  spoken  of  the  ignorance  and  degradation  of 
a  portion  of  the  laboring  classes.  I  confess,  in  some 
districts  it  seems  hopeless;  but  I  record  these  self- 
denying  efforts  to  ameliorate  their  condition,  and 
wherever  these  efforts  are  made,  a  corresponding 
change  for  the  better  is  plainly  to  be  perceived. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH.  517 

When  in  London,  Mr.  Samuel  Gurney  invited  us 
to  Carshalton  Park,  on  the  occasion  of  his  inviting 
fifty  poor  women  from  London  to  spend  the  day  in 
his  grounds.  It  was  his  frequent  custom  to  convey 
invitations  through  the  city  missionaries  to  a  number 
of  poor  women,  with  their  children,  to  taste  the  fresh 
air,  and  ramble  in  the  meadows,  or  among  the  flow- 
ers, or  on  the  lawns,  about  his  residence;  and  they 
came  from  stifling  courts,  poor,  pale,  haggard  crea- 
tures, neglected,  and  poverty-stricken,  in  omnibuses 
provided  by  him  for  their  accommodation.  That 
day,  there  were  forty-nine  women,  and  some  dozen 
children.  They  scattered  among  the  hay-makers,  the 
children  romped  on  the  newly-mown  grass,  the  poor 
mothers  either  strolling  in  groups,  or  seated  on  some 
pleasant  knoll,  chatting  neighborly  together,  the 
bright  sun  shining,  the  birds  singing,  the  children 
shouting  in  glee,  and  all  combining  to  give  them  one 
happy  day — one  little  lift  out  of  the  dull,  weary  mo- 
notony of  their  dreary  life. 

At  noon,  they  were  invited  to  a  bountiful  dinner 
of  roast  beef  and  plum  pudding,  spread  for  them  under 
a  tent; -Mr.  Gurney  and  his  guests,  with  the  servants 
of  the  house,  waiting  on  them.  After  their  meal  they 
separated,  to  roam  about  the  gardens  and  grounds, 
the  children  to  play.  One  poor  woman  said  to  me, 
on  my  making  some  inquiries:  "Ah!  sir,  I  haven't 
seen  a  green  field  afore  to-day  for  twelve  year." 
Again  in  the  evening,  a  plentiful  repast  was  spread 
for  them  in  the  tent, — bread  and  butter,  buns,  plain 
cakes,  fruit,  and  tea.  Then  a  few  words  of  kindly- 
spoken  advice,  and  the  gardener  brought  into  the 
tent  a  small  bouquet  of  cut  flowers  for  each  woman. 


518     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

How  their  dim  eyes  danced  with  delight  at  their 
beauty !  Their  toil-worn  fingers  clasped  the  stems, 
and  their  expressions  of  admiration  were  genuine. 
No  "  ball-room  belle "  could  appreciate  with  such  de- 
light her  choice  bouquet  in  its  silver  holder.  As  the 
sun  was  setting,  the  omnibuses  were  brought  to  the 
tent,  and,  amid  the  quiet  laughter  of  the  women,  and 
the  noisier  demonstrations  of  the  children,  they  took 
their  seats.  As  the  park  gates  were  open  the  gentle- 
men took  off  their  hats  and  gave  them  three  cheers, 
which  were  heartily  returned ;  and  with  the  cheers  of 
the  guests,  the  crowing  of  the  younger  ones,  and  the 
murmured  thanks  of  the  mothers,  they  returned  to 
London — back  to  their  dreary,  dirty,  cheerless  homes; 
but  refreshed  and  helped  by  one  day's  recreation ; — 
and  who  shall  say  how  many  days  the  faded  flowers 
in  some  stifling  room  reminded  the  dwellers  of  one 
bright  day;  and  when  the  flowers  are  all  decayed,  and 
their  perfume  gone,  may  not  the  fragrance  of  that 
remembrance  cheer  and  encourage  them  in  the  dull 
monotony  of  their  daily  struggle  ?  Who  shall  say  ? 
It  may  be  so. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

Departure  for  America — Bad  News — The  Minister's  Welcome — Recep- 
tion at  Mechanics'  Hall — Death  of  Joel  Stratton — His  Life  and  Char- 
acter— First  Written  Lecture — Charge  of  Deserting  the  Temper- 
ance Cause — Beggars — Borrowers — Bores — Anecdotes  of  Travel — 
.Railroad  Accident. 

WE  had  a  pleasant  passage  from  Liverpool  to  Bos- 
ton, and  reached  home  on  the  evening  of  August 
22d, — my  birthday, — after  an  absence  of  three  years 
and  thirty-eight  days.  On  our  arrival  at  Worcester, 
we  learned  that  my  wife's  eldest  brother,  Luke,  had 
met  with  a  fatal  accident  on  the  Erie  Railroad,  and 
was  buried  two  weeks  before ;  and  that  her  remaining 
brother,  Charles,  was  very  ill  with  typhoid  brain  fever. 
The  joy  of  our  return  home  was  mingled  with  sad- 
ness. I  tried  to  comfort  Mary  as  well  as  I  was  able, 
but  it  was  a  heavy  blow  to  her. 

On  the  3d  of  September  our  neighbors  and  friends 
invited  us  to  a  reception  picnic  in  a  grove,  which  was 
very  pleasant:  Mrs.  Gough's  brother  being  in  a  nerv- 
ous state  from  the  effects  of  the  fever,  it  was  deemed 
advisable,  for  a  change,  that  he  should  be  brought  to 
our  house.  Accordingly,  we  prepared  for  him,  and 
on  Saturday,  September  15th,  he  arrived,  apparently 
but  little  fatigued  by  the  journey  of  twelve  miles 
from  Bolton;  but  on  Sunday  morning  he  died  very 
suddenly, — only  twenty  hours  after  his  arrival, — and 
the  same  afternoon  was  conveyed  back  to  Bolton. 


520     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

I  had  received  the  following  document,  which  was 
intended  to  be  sent  me  before  I  left  England,  but  had 
been  delayed  till  my  return,  when  it  was  presented 
to  me  at  my  home  by  Rev.  H.  W.  Dexter,  at  the 
head  of  a  deputation: 

JOHN  B.  GOUQH, — Dear  Sir:  The  undersigned  ministers  of  the  Gos- 
pel, of  different  denominations,  in  Massachusetts,  having  learned  that 
you  intend  returning  home  in  the  month  of  August  next,  desire  to 
welcome  you,  with  your  family,  to  our  shores,  and  to  reassure  you  of 
our  cordial  esteem  and  love,  as  a  fellow-laborer  in  the  common  cause. 

Should  you  be  inclined  to  gratify  our  wishes,  we  beg  of  you  to  name 
a  day,  at  such  time,  after  your  arrival  in  the  country,  as  may  be  con- 
venient to  yourself,  when  we,  with  other  friends  of  Temperance,  may 
hope  to  welcome  you  at  a  public  meeting  in  the  City  of  Boston. 
With  great  respect,  we  have  the  honor  to  be 

Very  truly  your  friends. 

[Signed  by  four  hundred  and  eighty-nine  ministers  of  the  Gospel. 

In  reply  to  this,  I  appointed  Monday,  September 
17th,  for  the  meeting.  Arrangements  were  made, 
and  as  it  was  deemed  advisable  not  to  postpone,  I 
went  down  that  day,  and  was  greeted  by  a  large 
number  of  friends.  In  the  evening  an  audience  filled 
every  part  of  Tremont  Temple.  A  book,  finely  bound, 
containing  the  autographs  of  those  who  had  signed 
the  invitation,  with  an  inscription, — "  The  Welcome 
of  the  Ministers  of  Massachusetts  to  John  B.  Gough 
on  his  return  from  England  in  August,  1860," — was 
presented  to  me ;  and  the  whole  proceedings  were  of 
the  most  deeply  interesting  character  to  me. 

A  reception  was  given  me  at  the  Mechanics'  Hall, 
"Worcester,  at  which  the  Hon.  Judge  Barton  presided. 
All  this  was  very  gratifying  and  encouraging  to  me. 

On  the  25th  I  commenced  work  in  earnest,  and 
continued  till  December  1st.  I  then  left  for  the 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH.  521 

West,  remaining  there  till  February  8th,  when  I  re- 
turned home  for  a  week. 

My  record  of  work  for  the  next  few  years  would, 
of  itself,  be  devoid  of  general  interest;  therefore  I 
simply  state  that  I  have  been  employed  constantly, 
eight  months  of  each  year,  in  lecturing,  devoting 
the  remaining  four  months  to  rest  and  preparation ; 
delivering  from  one  hundred  and  sixty  to  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty  lectures  each  year,  to  the  present 
summer. 

On  my  return  home  from  New  York,  October  26, 
1860,  I  was  informed  that  Joel  Stratton  was  very  ill. 
I  at  once  proceeded  to  his  house,  and  found  him 
propped  by  pillows  in  his  chair,  for  his  disease  was  of 
such  a  character  that  he  could  not  lie  down.  The 
drops  stood  like  beads  on  his  forehead,  and  on  the 
back  of  his  hands,  for  he  was  very  weak.  I  said  to 
him, — "  God  bless  you,  Stratton ;  thousands  are  thank- 
ful that  you  ever  lived."  Feebly  he  whispered,  "Do 
you  think  so?"  "Think  so !  I  have  my  English  mail 
here — "  and  I  read  him  some  extracts  from  a  letter  I 
had  received  from  a  lady,  where  she  wrote,  "How 
glad  you  must .  have  been  to  meet  your  old  friend, 
Joel  Stratton,  for  whom  we  often  pray,  and  whom  we 
all  love."  Looking  at  me  with  his  pleasant  smile, 
he  said :  "  When  I  laid  my  hand  on  your  shoulder 
that  night,  I  never  dreamed  all  this  would  come  to 
pass— did  you?"  "No,"  I  said,  "but  it  has."  I 
kissed  him  and  left  him,  hoping  to  see  him  again.  I 
was  engaged  in  Montreal  on  the  29th,  and  on  my  re- 
turn found  he  was  dead,  and  the  funeral  was  to  take 
place  the  next  day,  November  7th. 

I  take  the  liberty  of  introducing  some  paragraphs 


522  AUTOBIOGKAPHY    OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH. 

from  a  sketch  entitled  "One-man  Power/'  written  by 
Rev.  Horace  James,  a  short  time  after  Mr.  Strattoii's 
death : 

A  good  man  has  fallen,  one  upon  whom  Providence  bestowed  the 
honor  of  distinguished  usefulness ;  yet  one  who  moved  in  the  humbler 
walks  of  life,  and  whose  biography  will  add  another  to  "  the  simple 
annals  of  the  poor."  The  name  of  JOEL  D.  STRATTON  is  widely 
known  throughout  the  United  States,  and  still  more  widely  in  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland,  as  the  man  who  was  the  instrument  of  John  B. 
Gough's  reformation.  Subsequent  events  have  elevated  into  unexpected 
prominence  a  simple  act  of  kindness;  but  the  nature  of  a  good  deed  is 
ever  the  same.  It  is  not  dependent  upon  perceived  results,  for  its 
moral  quality,  or  its  high  reward. 

Joel  Dudley  Stratton,  the  subject  of  this  notice,  was  born  in  the 
township  of  Athol,  in. the  State  of  Massachusetts,  on  the  llth  day  of 
August,  A.  D.,  1816.  He  spent  his  boyhood  and  youth  with  his 
parents,  and  enjoyed  no  other  advantages  for  learning,  than  such  as 
were  furnished  him  in  a  Christian  home,  a  public  school,  and  the  vil- 
lage church.  He  labored  upon  his  father's  farm  until  he  had  attained 
the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  when  he  removed  to  Worcester,  and  was 
there  employed  by  Thomas  Tucker,  Esq.,  the  proprietor  and  keeper 
of  the  American  Temperance  House.  While  he  was  there,  in  the 
capacity  of  a  waiter,  in  the  autumn  of  1842,  occurred  that  memorable 
event  in  his  life  which  has  connected  it  so  pleasantly  with  the  career  of 
Mr.  Gough.  [See  page  127]. 

At  the  time  of  this  interview,  Mr.  Stratton  was  a  single  man.  In 
1845,  on  the  6th  of  May,  he  married  Miss  Susan  P.  Day,  an  excellent 
Christian  lady,  who  was  his  constant,  faithful,  affectionate  companion, 
through  all  the  vicissitudes  of  their  life.  There  was  little  to  distinguish 
Mr.  Stratton's  later  years.  The  care  and  support  of  a  family  com- 
pelled him  to  follow  closely  his  occupation,  which  was  that  of  a  boot- 
crimper,  and  by  which  he  earned  as  a  journeyman  about  a  dollar  and 
a  half  a  day.  Though  not  of  robust  constitution,  his  health  was  uni- 
formly good,  up  to  the  time  of  his  last  brief  illness,  so  that  he  seldom 
lost  a  day  from  his  work  in  the  shop.  A  happy  home,  with  an  increas- 
ing family  of  children,  were  a  continual  stimulus  to  toil,  even  had  he 
not  been  naturally  industrious  and  frugal.  At  one  period  in  his  life, 
he  had  accumulated  five  hundred  dollars,  carefully  saved  from  his  earn- 
ings. But  after  investing  this  in  a  dwelling-house,  he  was  forced  to 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     523 

sacrifice  it  at  the  time  of  a  financial  crisis,  and  lost  the  whole.  With 
the  exception  of  four  years  spent  in  the  town  of  Paxton,  his  home  was 
Worcester  during  all  his  later  life. 

In  that  city  of  his  adoption,  and  near  the  scene  of  his  best  labors,  he 
peacefully  closed  his  eyes  in  death  on  Sunday,  the  4th  of  November, 
1860.  In  the  intermission  of  divine  services,  after  public  prayer  had 
been  fervently  offered  in  his  behalf  in  the  sanctuary,  and  a  friend  of 
his,  and  member  of  Mr.  Cough's  family,  had  gone  from  the  church  to 
his  bedside,  to  convey  to  him  renewedly,  messages  of  sympathy  and  af- 
fection, he  entered,  we  hope,  the  heavenly  sanctuary,  and  became  a 
worshiper  before  the  throne.  Just  after  noon  of  the  holy-day,  scarcely 
past  the  meridian  of  his  own  peaceful  life,  he  passed  away,  to  dwell  in 
a  world  where  there  is  no  night. 

His  funeral  obsequies  were  observed  at  the  Salem  Street  Church, 
where  he  worshiped,  when  in  health,  with  regularity  and  devoutness. 
Three  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  of  different  denominations,  participated 
in  the  exercises,  and  Mr.  Cough,  by  invitation,  uttered  a  few  touching 
and  appropriate  words.  A  large  company  of  mourners  followed  him  to 
his  burial,  and  laid  him  in  "  Hope  Cemetery,"  to  sleep  until  the  grave 
shall  give  up  its  dead. 

Something  ought  to  be  said  respecting  the  virtues  of  Mr.  Stratton, 
for  in  some  respects,  though  in  humble  life,  he  was  a  burning  and  a 
shining  light!  He  was  a  true  friend  of  temperance.  An  abstainer, 
from  childhood,  he  early  united  with  the  temperance  organization,  and 
was  a  worker  in  the  cause.  Mr.  Cough  is  not  the  only  man  whom  he 
has  rescued,  though  Providence  may  have  made  him  the  most  distin- 
guished. Of  late  years  he  belonged  to  the  order  of  the  Sons  of  Tem- 
perance, and  was  rarely  absent  from  the  weekly  meeting  of  his  division. 
At  every  temperance  lecture  or  sermon,  he  was  present,  a  quiet  observer 
and  interested  listener.  The  week  in  which  he  was  taken  ill,  he  attended 
the  welcome-meeting  which  Worcester  gave  to  Mr.  Cough,  on  his  second 
return  from  England.  The  meeting  was  tumultuous  with  jubilant  feel- 
ing ;  but  Mr.  Stratton,  with  characteristic  quietness,  sat  calmly  by,  his 
countenance  suffused  with  smiles,  and  radiant  with  benevolence,  appar- 
ently unconscious  of  anything  but  the  good  that  would  be  accom- 
plished by  the  meeting,  and  the  impulse  which  this  occasion  would  im- 
part to  the  movement. 

Mr.  Stratton  was  a  modest  man.  Unobtrusive  and  retiring,  those 
who  wished  to  become  acquainted  with  him  were  compelled  to  seek  his 
society.  "I  never  knew  him  intimately,"  said  Mr.  Cough,  at  his 


524     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

funeral,  "  on  account  of  his  great  modesty  and  diffidence.  He  always 
kept  himself  in  the  background.  He  was  the  last  man  to  take  my 
hand  at  the  door,  as  I  went  out  after  a  lecture.  I  owe  to  him  all  that 
I  am,  since  I  have  been  worth  anything  to'  my  fellow-men;  and  while 
I  am  almost  daily  annoyed  by  letters  from  persons  who  knew  me  in  my 
former  life,  or  who  were  acquainted  with  some  other  person  who  knew 
me,  asking  of  me  some  assistance  or  pecuniary  aid,  Joel  Stratton  never 
once  asked  of  me  a  favor.  He  never  obtruded  himself  upon  me; 
never  alluded  to  his  instrumentality  in  my  reform ;  never  appeared  to 
pride  himself  upon  it,  as  if  it  were  a  meritorious  deed."  His  modesty 
led  him  to  conceal  his  real  wants.  He  sacrificed  his  property  rather 
than  ask  any  person  to  assist  him  through  his  difficulties.  "Why  did 
you  not  inform  us  of  your  circumstances,"  said  friends  to  him  after  hia 
little  home  had  passed  out  of  his  hands,  "and  we  would  have  helped 
you  to  keep  it?"  He  could  not  bring  himself  to  ask  such  a  favor,  of 
friend  or  stranger. 

He  was  a  man  full  of  kindness.  Devoted  to  his  family,  domestic  in 
his  habits,  affectionate  in  his  intercourse  with  his  children  and  friends; 
he  left  upon  every  one  the  impression  of  genuine  kindness  of  heart. 
He  had  no  enemies,  for  he  loved  every  one,  and  spoke  charitably  of  all. 
His  attachment  to  Mr.  Gough  was  very  strong,  and  for  his  unasked 
favors  he  was  deeply  grateful.  After  a  visit  from  Mr.  Gough  during 
his  sickness,  he  was  found  by  bis  wife  bathed  in  tears,  which  he  could 
not  restrain,  when  he  thought  both  of  the  kind  words  and  good  deeds, 
which  had  characterized  the  visit.  He  prayed  that  he  might  live  until 
Tuesday,  (on  which  day  Mr.  G.  was  to  return  from  a  lecturing  tour  in 
Canada,)  that  he  might  see  his  old  friend  once  more.  He  arrived  only 
in  time  to  attend  his  funeral  on  Wednesday.  Christian  sympathy  re- 
quires that  a  word  be  said  respecting  his  widow  and  fatherless  children. 
They  occupy  the  upper  tenement  of  a  small  but  comfortable  house,  the 
same  in  which  he  died.  She  is  a  confirmed  invalid,  from  a  disease  of 
the  spine,  and  the  four  children,  at  the  ages  of  fourteen,  nine,  seven, 
and  four  years,  are  to  be  cared  for  and  educated.  He  left  them  nothing 
but  his  good  name,  the  cheap  furniture  of  their  dwelling,  and  the  tools 
of  his  trade.  Nothing  so  burdened  his  mind  as  the  future  of  his  chil- 
dren, and  the  anxious  care  that  would  rest  upon  his  feeble  wife,  when 
they  should  be  bereaved  of  their  natural  protector.  Yet  he  cheerfully 
left  them  with  the  widow's  God,  and  the  "father  of  the  fatherless." 

Reader, — have  you  ever  considered  how  great  is  your  personal  influ- 
ence? The  life  of  Joel  D.  Stratton  is  a  lesson  to  you.  It  shows  you 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     525 

how  grand  a  thing  it  is  to  be  a  man.  It  reveals  to  you  something  of 
the  inherent  glory  of  a  good  deed.  It  proves  how  richly  rewarding 
may  be  a  humble  and  unpromising  effort  to  do  good.  It  gives  one  a 
glimpse  of  the  eternal  honor  with  which  God  invests 'every  virtuous  act, 
and  of  the  great  reward  which  is  sure  to  follow  it.  It  illustrates  the 
duty  of  every  person  to  exert  upon  others  all  the  good  influence  he  pos- 
sesses, and  utters  volumes  of  truth  respecting  the  moral  power  which 
may  be  wielded  by  ONE  MAN.  Be  stimulated  to  imitate  his  example. 
Degraded  creatures  still  walk  our  streets,  the  prey  of  passion,  the  sub- 
jects of  terrible  remorse,  candidates  for  the  drunkard's  grave,  and  the 
drunkard's  doom.  Yet  underneath  all  that  is  disgusting  in  their  exte- 
rior, they  have  hearts  that  can  feel,  and  repent,  and  love,  and  be  grate- 
ful. They  can  be  reached.  Words  of  kindness  will  win  them.  Per- 
severing efforts  will  save  them.  They  may  be  jewels  that  need  only  a 
new  setting  to  make  them  shine  like  the  stars.  Remember  how  highly 
God  honored  our  departed  brother,  and  go  thou  and  do  likewise. 

Since  January  1, 1861,  it  has  been  a  source  of  great 
gratification  and  thankfulness  that  I  have  been  able  to 
appropriate  three  hundred  dollars  per  year  to  his 
widow  ;  and  I  intend  that  she  shall  not  be  dependent 
while  I  live. 

I  had  hitherto  delivered  lectures  solely  on  the  sub- 
ject of  temperance,  never,  except  on  one  or  two  oc- 
casions, attempting  to  use  written  notes,  and  never 
being  able  to  succeed  satisfactorily  to  myself,  with 
the  paper  before  me,  or  in  my  hand.  Many  friends 
were  desirous  that  I  should  present  in  a  lecture  some 
experiences  of  London  Life  ;  several  literary  associa- 
tions applied  for  such  a  lecture  to  be  delivered  in 
their  course, — for  I  had  rarely  lectured  in  a  course, 
having  been  an  outsider,  very  much  "on  my  own 
hook."  I  had  for  some  time  felt  the  necessity  of 
some  change,  that  would  prevent  my  losing  the  elas- 
ticity of  mind  that  I  knew  was  suffering  from  the  in- 
tense strain  of  speaking  so  often,  and  under  such  ex- 


526     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

citing  circumstances,  upon  one  theme,  with  so  little 
possible  variety ;  I  must  either  speak  much  less  fre- 
quently, or  I  must  have  a  variety  of  topics.  I  had 
but  little  ambition  (for  I  am  well  aware  of  my  de- 
ficiencies,) to  take  rank  among  the  literary  lecturers, 
of  the  day ;  but  having  from  pure  interest  in  what  I 
saw,  collected  a  large  amount  of  material,  especially 
in  reference  to  the  street  life  in  London,  I  was  in- 
duced to  prepare  such  a  lecture.  I  had  appointed 
New  Haven,  as  the  place  where  I  should  make  the 
experiment;  if  I  failed,  I  could  devote  myself  to  tem- 
perance according  to  my  ability,  as  long  as  I  might  be 
needed. 

On  the  21st  of  November,  1860,  I  was  announced 
to  deliver  a  lecture  on  "  Street  Life  in  London." 
Passing  through  New  Haven  on  my  way  to  New 
York,  I  met  Mr.  Edwin  Marble,  then  the  efficient 
president  of  the  Library  Association,  and  my  warm 
personal  friend,  and  begged  him  to  change  it,  sub- 
stituting "temperance,"  for  my  courage  had  failed 
me,  and  I  declared  I  could  not  speak  on  any  other 
theme.  He  kindly  said  some  words  to  me  which  I 
construed  into  a  compliance  with  my  wishes,  and 
eight  days  after,  I  went  to  New  Haven,  comforted  by 
the  thought,  that  I  had  escaped  the  dreaded  ordeal ; 
when,  to  my  consternation  and  dismay,  I  saw  on  large 
posters  the  announcement,  "Street  Life  in  London." 
In  my  distress,  I  went  to  Mr.  Marble,  and  told  him  it 
could  not  be.  He  said  very  kindly,  but  decidedly, 
"It  must  be — we  have  announced  it,"  and  encouraged 
me  to  attempt  it.  Not  even  in  my  first  appearance 
as  a  speaker  did  I  feel  more  nervous  and  apprehen- 
sive. (I  had  read  the  lecture  at  home,  to  my  friends 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     527 

George  Gould  and  Rev.  Horace  James,  who  both  conr- 
demned  it  with  "faint  praise.") 

The  Music  Hall  was  crowded.  A  table  was  on  the 
platform  for  my  manuscript,  and  for  the  first  time  I 
faced  an  audience  with  a  written  lecture  on  an  en- 
tirely new  theme.  Before  I  proceeded  to  its  deliv- 
ery, I  announced  that  this  was  an  experiment;  I 
doubted  if  it  would  not  be  a  failure ;  but  they  should 
have  the  lecture — and  I  would  constitute  them  my 
judges — and  if,  after  hearing  it,  they  so  decided,  I 
would  put  the  manuscript  in  the  fire ;  but  if  they  de- 
cided in  its  favor,  I  would  go  on  with  it,  as  I  had 
engaged  to  deliver  it  in  Boston,  Providence,  and 
Worcester.  The  lecture  was  received  with  favor, 
and  I  delivered  it  in  Boston  the  next  evening.  On 
my  way  there,  George  Gould  came  into  the  cars  at 
Worcester,  and  congratulated  me.  I  immediately 
prepared  another,  entitled,  "Lights  and  Shadows  of 
London  Life."  The  next  year  I  prepared  "London 
by  Night,"  which  I  delivered  twenty-three  times,  and 
then  discarded,  not  being  at  all  pleased  with  it.  Lon- 
don being  an  almost  inexhaustible  field,  I  prepared  an- 
other a  few  years  since,  "  The  Great  Metropolis,"  which 
was  never  given,  and  is  cast  aside.  The  lectures  on 
London  being  continually  called  for,  I  combined  por- 
tions of  the  first  three  in  one  —  "London," — which, by 
varying  every  year,  I  have  given  one  hundred  and 
twenty-seven  times  since  1862.  In  1861, 1  prepared, 
"Here  and  There  in  Britain,"  which  I  have  discarded, 
after  presenting  it  seventy-two  times;  1862,  "Elo- 
quence and  Orators,"  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
times;  1863,  "Peculiar  People,"  one  hundred  and 
ninety  times;  1864,  "Fact  and  Fiction,"  eighty-six 
33 


528          AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF  JOHN   B.  GOUGH. 

times;  1865,  "Habit,"  one  hundred  and  twenty  times; 
1866,  "Curiosity,"  eighty-eight  times;  and  in  1868, 
"Circumstances,"  sixty-four  times. 

I  have  received  letters  remonstrating  with  me  for 
"leaving  the  temperance  field;"  and  a  small  pam- 
phlet was  published,  accusing  me  of  "deserting  the 
cause"  that  had  saved  me.  I  would  state  here,  that 
I  am  as  much  attached  to  that  movement  now  as 
I  have  ever  been.  In  every  lecture  I  introduce 
the  theme  of  temperance  prominently,  and  am  ever 
ready  and  glad  to  give  a  lecture  on  that  purely,  and 
do,  whenever  it  is  called  for;  and  often  urge  socie- 
ties I  serve,  as  far  as  it  is  courteous,  to  select  that 
subject. 

Please  remember,  I  do  not  apologize  for  my  course, 
for  I  hold  I  have  a  perfect  right  to  select  the  themes 
on  which  I  may  choose  to  speak ;  but  simply  correct- 
ing the  statement,  that  I  am  indifferent  to  the  wel- 
fare and  success  of  the  temperance  movement. 

In  1862  applications  were  so  numerous,  involving 
so  large  an  amount  of  correspondence,  that  Mr.  John 
G.  North  of  New  Haven,  my  old  and  valued  friend, 
undertook  the  task  of  making  my  routes.  For  two 
years  he  conducted  the  correspondence,  as  my  agent; 
but,  feeling  the  inconvenience  of  the  distance  be- 
tween us, — he  in  New  Haven,  and  I  in  Worcester, — 
I  attempted  the  labor  myself  in  1864,  and,  finding  it 
more  than  I  could  conveniently  accomplish,  Miss  Nel- 
lie A.  Mason  came  to  us  in  the  summer  of  1865,  and 
has  rendered  me  very  efficient  service  for  four  years, 
as  she  resides  in  our  family  during  the  four  months 
in  which  this  work  is  accomplished.  An  average  of 
more  than  fifteen  hundred  letters  each  summer  are 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     581 

written,  many  of  them  requiring  great  care  and  tact, 
and  she  has  proved  an  invaluable  aid  to  me. 

Every  man  engaged  in  public  labor  has  probably 
experienced  more  or  less  annoyance  from  beggars, 
borrowers,  and  bores.  The  beggars  may  be  divided 
into  two  classes, — those  who  really  need,  and  are 
deserving,  and  those  who  seem  to  require  that  others 
shall  work  that  they  may  live  in  comfort  without  it. 
Among  the  latter  are  the  young  men,  able-bodied, 
who  either  lack  energy,  or  will,  to  help  themselves. 
There  is  a  class  of  young  men  who  spend  more  time 
in  seeking  help  from  others,  than,  if  industriously 
employed  in  helping  themselves,  would  secure  to 
them  independence,  and  save  them  from  the  mean- 
ness of  polite  beggary.  Others  have  such  a  horror 
of  hard  work,  they  will  adopt  any  plan  that  enables 
them  to  eat  bread  in  the  sweat  of  another  man's 
brow.  Our  country  is  overrun  with  half-starved 
clerks,  while  our  farm  laborers  are  gaining  a  compe- 
tence and  saving  money.  Young  men  will  leave 
healthy,  remunerative  employment,  and  flock  to  in- 
stitutions where  they  can,  in  six  months,  become 
efficient  clerks;  the  consequence  is,  large  numbers 
are  drifting  about,  unable  to  dig  and  not  ashamed  to 
beg.  Some  of  the  letters  I  have  received  would  be 
amusing,  but  for  their  meanness  or  impudence.  Think 
of  a  young  man  writing:  "I  have  heard  you  are 
benevolent, — I  know  you  are  able,  for  your  income 
has  been  published.  I  want  to  get  a  musical  educa- 
tion; my  friends  will  not  help  me;  you  can,  if  you 
will.  I  want  you  to  give  me  five  hundred  dollars  a 
year  for  three  years,  or,  if  it  is  more  convenient  to 
you,  fifteen  hundred  dollars  at  once.  A  check  on 


532     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH 

New  York,  payable  to  bearer,  would  confer  lasting 
obligation  on  yours,  etc."  Petitions  for  aid  in  busi- 
ness,— in  paying  notes  due,  or  borrowed  money, — to 
travel.  A  young  man,  a  carpenter  by  trade,  able  to 
work,  and  with  plenty  to  do,  once  asked  ine  to  help 
him  from  one  town  to  another.  I  gave  him  a  dollar, 
he  said,  "That's  not  enough — the  fare  is  a  dollar  and 
a  half."  "But,"  I  said,  "the  stage  fare  is  a  dollar." 
"Thunder!"  said  he,  "do  you  suppose  I  will  jolt  the 
life  out  of  myself  in  a  stage? — no,  sir!"  He  left 
me  without  the  half  dollar. 

One  man  wrote  me  that  he  had  a  farm,  and  if  he 
could  make  two  spires  of  grass  grow  where  only  one 
grew  before,  he  would  be  a  philanthropist ;  there 
were  so  many  stones  in  his  fields,  that  if  he  could 
get  them  out,  he  should  be  able  to  double  his  crops. 
Would  I  give  him  two  or  three  gratuitous  lectures? 
and  as  he  was  very  busy,  could  I  name  a  day  when  I 
would  meet  him  at  the  railway  station,  (some  forty 
miles  from  my  home,)  and  all  preliminaries  could  be 
settled.  My  wife  answered  that  letter.  This  was  an 
industrious  beggar. 

I  have  applications  for  piano-fortes,  sewing-ma- 
chines, money  to  publish  books,  money  to  help  out  of 
jail,  for  a  horse,  to  build  a  house,  for  suits  of  clothes, 
for  funds  to  make  a  European  voyage,  for  money  to 
buy  a  wig,  to  purchase  mules,  to  obtain  an  educa- 
tion, to  pay  off  a  mortgage,  for  a  trip  to  the  sea-side, 
to  support  a  failing  newspaper,  to  send  a  sister  to 
boarding-school,  to  pay  the  premium  on  insurance; 
and  often  with  inaptly  quoted  passages  of  Scripture. 
Persons  write  me  or  call  on  me,  who  knew  me  when 
I  lived  somewhere — or  heard  me  speak  somewhere — 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH.  533 

or  knew  some  one  that  I  knew — or  had  my  name, 
only  spelled  differently — and,  needing  a  little  money, 
felt  their  claims,  for  these  reasons,  strong  enough  to 
induce  them  to  apply  to  me.  Some  again,  who  may 
have  rendered  me  service  acknowledged  and  paid  for, 
annoying  by  the  persistent  reminder  of  my  obligation 
to  them;  and  in  one  case  going  so  far  as  to  threaten, 
should  I  fail  to  comply  with  their  wishes;  thereby 
neutralizing  all  obligation  under  which  I  might  other- 
wise have  lain  to  them. 

There  are  the  borrowers  who  never  intend  to  pay 
— a  meaner  class  than  the  beggars ;  it  is  often  cheaper, 
by  one  hundred  per  cent.,  to  give  ten  dollars  than 
to  lend  twenty.  It  sounds  better  to  borrow  than  to 
beg.  I  think  in  two  or  three  cases  I  have  been  paid 
borrowed  money;  but  I  have  in  my  drawer  a  pack- 
age of  notes  (and  these  borrowers  are  very  eager  to 
give  notes  if  you  pay  for  the  stamp)  for  thousands 
of  dollars — labeled  "money  lent  and  lost;"  another 
package  labeled  "notes  of  doubtful  value,"  (they  are 
very  doubtful;)  another  labeled  "notes  to  be  collected 
by  instalments," — (on  one  or  two  there  have  been  in- 
stalments collected — on  others,  none  offered,  nor  even 
an  apology  for  the  neglect;)  and  yet  another,  labeled 
"  notes,"  and  when  they  are  paid,  I  trust  I  shall  be 
aware  of  the  fact. 

Next  come  the  black-mail  letters,  of  which  I  have 
four,  received  within  six  years,  threatening  some  aw- 
ful exposures  if  so  many  hundred  dollars  were  not 
sent  to  a  certain  address.  My  plan  with  these  last  is, 
to  show  them  to  my  wife,  then  to  friends  as  curiosi- 
ties. My  case  is  not  a  rare  one,  I  know,  and  I  speak 
of  these  simply  as  annoyances — serious,  petty,  or 


534     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

amusing,  as  the  case  may  be ;  but  I  must  confess  my 
belief  that  the  system  of  begging-letter  writing  is  as 
complete  and  extensive  in  this  country,  as  in  any 
other  part  of  the  world.  I  would  never  discourage 
an  honest  man  under  adverse  circumstances  from 
seeking  help,  and  I  believe  I  may  say  that  very  rarely 
has  any  man  applied  to  me, — when  I  was  able  to  re- 
lieve, and  his  claim  on  my  sympathy  was  reasona- 
ble,— and  gone  empty-handed  away.  I  simply  de- 
nounce the  class  who  live  and  thrive  on  the  credulity 
and  generosity  of  others.  "  Help  yourself,"  is  a  good . 
motto ;  but  "Help  yourself  that  you  may  help  others," 
is  a  better.  Every  man  in  life's  battle  may  meet  re- 
verses, but  need  not  be  overwhelmed.  Let  him  do 
his  duty,  and  strive  to  be  a  man  rather  than  a  gentle- 
man; unless  he  takes  Billy  Downey's  definition  of  a 
gentleman:  "I  say  if  I  pays  my  way,  does  not  owe 
nobody  nothing,  if  I  is  industrious,  and  takes  care  of 
my  old  mother,  and  is  ready  to  serve  my  country 
when  I  is  required,  I  say  I  is  a  gentleman.  It  isn't 
the  toggery,  it's  the  charackter" 

Some  men  give  up  in  despair  under  difficulties.  A 
man  was  seen  by  the  side  of  an  overturned  load  of 
hay,  blubbering  and  bawling.  A  passer-by  asked, 
"What's  the  matter?"  «0h,boo-ooh!"  "What's  the 
matter  ? "  I  ask.  «  Oh,  boo-ooh ! "  "  Why  don't  you 
get  to  work  and  pitch  up  the  load?"  "Oh!  oh! 
boo ! — "  roared  the  poor  fellow,  "  Oh !  dad's  under  the 
hay!" 

A  long  chapter  might  be  written  on  the  genus  bore, 
in  all  its  varieties;  but  I  forbear — lest  I  bore  my 
reader.  In  my  constant  travel,  I  have  had  abundant 
opportunities  of  seeing  the  peculiarities  of  people ; 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     535 

and  often  the  dull  monotony  of  a  journey  is  broken 
by  some  amusing  incident ;  and  when  weary,  a  little 
thing  will  divert  one.  I  have  seen  a  whole  car-full 
of  people  roaring  with  laughter  at  the  most  trifling 
joke.  Once,  between  Adrian  and  Cleveland,  we  were 
going  very  slowly,  and  the  passengers  were  complain- 
ing, when  one  man,  who  looked  like  a  New  England 
deacon,  drawled  out,  "Ah!  well,  yes!  we  are  going 
slow,  and  we  shan't  never  get  nowhere,  at  this  poor, 
dying  rate."  There  was  a  universal  shout  of  laugh- 
ter. Another  time,  the  snow  had  blocked  the  road, 
and  at  a  certain  station  we  took  on  board  a  large 
number  of  passengers,  who  had  been  detained  all 
night  waiting  for  our  train ;  when  one  elderly,  wo- 
begone-looking  man  stood  in  the  passage-way  of  the 
car,  and,  looking  about  him — the  seats  being  all  oc- 
cupied— said  with  a  most  lugubrious  air  and  tone  : 
"  This  is  too  bad !  here  I've  been  laying  on  the  floor 
all  night,  and  I  can't  find  a  place  to  set."  A  gentle- 
man sprung  from  his  seat  and  said :  "  That  is  too  bad ; 
here's  a  place — come  and  set;"  and  amid  a  noisy  burst 
of  merriment  that  surprised  him,  he  took  the  offered 
seat. 

I  have  been  amused,  while  riding,  to  hear  conver- 
sations about  myself.  Perhaps  two  persons  sitting 
just  before  me  will  be  very  free  in  their  remarks ; 
and  I  have  enjoyed  their  criticism,  though  sometimes 
not  particularly  complimentary ;  and  I  have  occasion- 
ally heard  some  news  about  myself  and  family,  of 
which  I  was  totally  ignorant  before ;  and  it  is  doubly 
amusing  when  these  people  discover  that  all  their 
conversation  has  been  overheard  by  its  subject.  Once 
I  heard  a  gentleman  say  to  another,  "Did  you  hear 


536     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OP  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

Gough  last  night?"  I  had  given  the  lecture  on 
Habit,  and  related  the  neat  remark  made  to  a  man 
who  always  kept  others  waiting  for  him.  "You  be- 
long to  the  three-handed  species."  "Ah!"  said  the 
man,  "a  very  rare  species  that."  "Oh,  no!  plenty 
of  them/'  was  the  reply.  "Two  hands  like  other 
people,  and  a  little  behind  hand."  The  gentleman 
had  not  heard  me.  "Ah,"  said  the  other,  "he  told  a 
very  good  story,  about  a  man  that  kept  people  wait- 
ing for  him;  ' you  belong  to  the  three-handed  class, 
you've  got  two  hands  like  other  people,  and  you've 
got — you've  got  two  hands  like  other  people,  and 
you've  got' — what  in  thunder  was  it,  now — it  was 
real  good ;  ( you've  got  two  hands  like  other  people, 
and  you've  got — you've  got' — oh,  by  George !  'you've 
got  a  little  hand — no — a  hand — a  little  hand — you've 
got ' — Ah,  you  ought  to  hear  Gough  tell  that  story ; 
it  was  real  good." 

In  all  my  travel  for  twenty-six  years  I  never  was 
detained  by  any  accident  to  steamboat  or  car  in  which 
I  was  traveling,  but  once;  that  was  in  Canada,  on  the 
Grand  Trunk.  We  had  been  kept  back  two  hours  by 
a  freight  train  off  the  track,  and  I  said  to  a  fellow-pas- 
senger "  We  have  many  detentions  on  this  road."  He 
replied,  "  We  must  praise  the  bridge  that  carries  us 
safely  over."  I  was  a  little  vexed,  and  said:  "Yes, 
but  we  are  not  over  yet."  At  that  instant  I  felt  a  jar, 
and  springing  up,  cried  out  "  We  are  off  the  track ! " 
and  we  were.  I  had  often,  while  traveling,  imagined 
my  sensations  in  a  catastrophe  like  this,  but  they 
were  not  what  I  had  supposed.  While  the  car  was 
leaping  and  bounding  I  stood,  as  firmly  as  I  could, 
grasping  the  back  of  the  seat  before  me ; — no  fear  or 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     537 

terror,  but  an  anticipation,  a  curious  sort  of  calcula- 
tion as  to  how  long  the  car  would  endure  such  a 
strain — how  long  the  wheels  would  stand  the  smash- 
ing— wondering  why  the  engine  did  not  stop— and 
why  we  were  going  so  fast — when  a  crash  came, 
and  the  car  leaned  over  farther  and  farther,  till  the 
balance  was  gone,  and  we  were  thrown  ^over — the 
valises  from  the  racks,  and  the  passengers  on  the 
other  side  being  thrown  with  a  dull  thud  upon  us. 
The  first  thing  I  knew,  as  the  boy  said,  "I  didn't 
know  nothing,"  but  found  myself  on  the  roof  of  the 
car — a  large  stump  forced  into  it — women  and  chil- 
dren in  heaps — a  smell  of  fire — and  then  commenced 
the  scramble  to  get  out.  The  upper  part  of  one  of 
the  doors  was  broken  open,  and  we  crawled  out,  one 
by  one.  To  our  astonishment,  not  a  passenger  was 
hurt,  excepting  slight  scratches.  I  had  neither  scratch 
nor  bruise ;  but  a  brakeman,  nobly  doing  his  duty, 
was  killed.  This  was  my  first  experience  of  a  rail- 
way accident;  and  I  sincerely  hope  it  may  be  the 
last.  One  result  has  been  that  I  am  much  more  ap- 
prehensive and  nervous  while  traveling  than  ever 
before. 

I  am  warned  that  my  space  is  limited  and  that  I 
must  look  towards  the  "Finis." 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

Silver  Wedding — Presentation  of  Gifts — Speech— Letter  to  Commit- 
tee— Record  of  Work — Audiences  of  Students — The  Book — The 
War — Family — Nannie's  Death — Letter  from  my  Wife — Record  of 
Friends — Courtesy  of  Fellow-Laborers — Conclusion. 

ON  the  24th  of  November,  1868,  occurred  what  is 
termed  our  "silver  wedding."  We  intended  that  no 
notice  should  be  taken  of  it,  except  perhaps  a  feast 
to  our  own  people,  and  a  little  celebration  in  our  own 
family;  but  some  personal  friends  in  Worcester,  be- 
coming aware  of  the  fact,  proposed  to  us  a  celebra- 
tion under  the  auspices  and  direction  of  a  committee 
from  Worcester  and  Boston,  and  afterwards  caused  a 
pamphlet  to  be  published,  containing  a  full  account 
of  the  festival, — a  portion  of  which  I  insert,  as  far  as 
may  be  necessary,  to  convey  some  idea  of  the  very 
pleasant  and  flattering  demonstration. 

A  number  of  gentlemen  of  Worcester,  Mass. ,  learning  that  the  twen- 
ty-fifth anniversary  of  the  marriage  of  John  B.  Gough  and  Mary  E. 
Gough  would  occur  on  the  24th  of  November,  determined  that  it 
should  not  pass  without  having  the  opportunity,  in  some  way,  of  show- 
ing their  regard  for  one  who  had  been  so  eminently  useful  in  the  cause 
of  temperance, — who  had  done  so  much  to  cheer  and  comfort  the  de- 
spondent, and  whose  eloquent  utterances  had  electrified  vast  assemblies 
of  people  in  this  and  other  countries. 

Upon  conferring  with  Mr.  Gough  and  wife  upon  the  matter,  it  was 
found  that  they  were  opposed  to  any  special  celebration  of  the  event, 
lest  it  should  be  thought  that  they  were  inviting  their  friends  to  con- 
form to  the  custom  on  such  occasions,  and  accompany  their  congratula- 
tions and  good  wishes  with  presents.  They,  however,  reluctantly  gave 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     539 

their  consent  that  some  notice  should  be  taken  of  the  anniversary,  and 
their  friends  in  the  city  of  Worcester  appointed  a  committee  to  make  all 
necessary  arrangements. 

The  following  card  of  invitation  was  issued,  and  sent  to  such  of  Mr. 
Gough's  friends  as  they  were  able  to  reach,  in  different  parts  of  the 
country,  and  to  some  in  England  and  Scotland : 

To  the  Friends  of  John  B.  Gough,  Esq.,— The  Twenty-fifth  Anni-4 
versary  of  the  nuptials  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gough  occurs  November  24th, 
1868.  The  pressure  of  professional  duty,  but  especially  Mr.  Gough's 
diffidence  to  announce  the  occasion,  had  determined  him  to  celebrate 
the  event  privately.  His  friends,  however,  are  not  willing.  They  feel 
that  a  spontaneous  recognition  of  his  noble  and  successful  labors  for  hu- 
manity during  twenty-five  years,  in  which  his  name  has  been  endeared 
to  millions,  demands  from  them  some  expression  of  their  good  will  and 
esteem,  and  would  be  a  most  agreeable  surprise  and  long-remembered 
pleasure  to  him.  Hence  this  invitation  in  their  name. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gough  would  regret  the  issue  of  invitations  which 
looked  to  a  solicitation  of  gifts.  Some,  however,  have  determined  not 
to  bo  denied  such  privilege.  Hence  the  committee,  without  solicitation 
or  negation,  leave  his  friends,  unembarrassed  in  the  expression  of  their 
good  will,  by  congratulatory  letter,  or  in  any  form  their  pleasure  may 
dictate.  It  is  the  purpose  of  some  of  his  friends  to  aggregate  their 
offerings,  in  procuring  some  more  munificent  testimonial  than  individuals 
would  elect.  Therefore,  if  any  prefer  to  be  associated  with  this  chief  of- 
fering, they  will  please  forthwith  communicate  their  pleasure  to  either  of 
the  committee,  through  whom  it  is  desired  all  expressions  should  pass. 

We  especially  'emphasize  the  request  that  you  would  honor  Mr. 
Gough  with  your  presence  at  "  Hillside "  on  that  occasion.  Open 
house  after  eleven  o'clock,  A.  M.  Special  ceremonies  and  congratula- 
tions at  eight  o'clock,  p.  M. 

Express  trains  east  and  west  leave  Worcester  at  10  o'clock,  p.  M. 

Coaches  will  run  to  bis  residence  at  11  o'clock,  A.  M.,  2,  4,  and  7 
o'clock,  P.  M.,  from  the  Bay  .state  House. 

REV.  JOBAMEL  PECK,  ]  Committee 

JUDGE  HENRY  CJHAPIN,  0/. 

PHILIP  L.  MOEN,  ESQ.,  \       Arranaements 
(I.  Washburn  &  Moen,)  Worker 

EDWARD  EARLE,  ESQ., 

B.  W.  WILLIAMS,  Esq.,      >      Committee  of  Ar- 
JAMES  H.  ROBERTS,  ESQ.,  )  rangements,  Boston, 


540     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

The  morning  of  the  24th  was  crisp  and  cold,  but 
bright  and  beautiful,  and  by  eleven  o'clock  the  friends 
began  to  assemble,  and  were  coming  and  going  the 
entire  day.  Tables  were  set  in  the  dining  and  break- 
fast-rooms, and  all  were  invited  to  partake  of  refresh- 
*nents.  As  soon  as  one  company  had  been  supplied, 
another  was  ready,  and  from  five  o'clock  to  eleven — 
except  during  the  exercises — the  tables  were  occupied. 
The  committees,  with  two  hundred  and  sixty-seven  of 
the  guests,  wrote  their  names  in  a  book  provided  for 
the  purpose.  Nearly  two  hundred,  in  addition  to 
these,  were  present  during  the  day.  Congratulatory 
letters  were  received  from  one  hundred  and  five 
friends  in  this  country  and  Great  Britain,  and  tele- 
grams from  twenty-five  hundred  persons  assembled 
at  the  Academy  of  Music,  Philadelphia,  on  the  occa- 
sion of  the  anniversary  of  the  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Association — and  from  other  friends ;  also,  an 
original  poem  from  Alfred  B.  Street  of  Albany ; — all 
which  have  been  published  entire  in  the  memorial 
pamphlet  issued  by  the  committee. 

The  exercises  were  held  in  the  gymnasium.  An 
address  was  delivered  by  Eev.  J.  0.  Peck,  as  chairman 
of  the  occasion.  Addresses  were  presented  by  Hon. 
Henry  Chapin,  on  behalf  of  the  Worcester  donors, — 
by  B.  W.  Williams,  on  behalf  of  the  Boston  donors. 
Original  poems  were  delivered  by  James  B.  Congdon 
of  New  Bedford,  and  Rev.  E.  P.  Dyer  of  Shrewsbury, 
and  a  song  by  Rev.  William  Phipps  of  Paxton,  Mass. 
The  gifts  named  below  were  presented: 

A  massive  solid  silver  epergne,  designed  to  hold  either  fruit  or  flow- 
ers; and  an  ice-cream  set  of  fourteen  pieces,  silver,  lined  with  gold, — 
the  offering  of  the  neighbors  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gough  in  Worcester  and 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     541 

vicinity,  and  friends  who  had  sent  their  donations  in  money  to  the  Com- 
mittee. The  center-piece  is  about  twenty  inches  in  hight ;  the  pedestal 
being  a  statue  of  an  Indian  Chief,  standing  upon  a  base  ornamented 
with  Indian  figures  in  various  attitudes,  chased  in  the  silver.  A  basket 
rests  upon  the  head  of  the  chief,  who,  with  his  upraised  hands,  sup- 
ports a  large  basin  or  plate,  eighteen  inches  in  diameter,  lined  with 
gold.  The  ice-cream  set  is  of  solid  silver,  lined  with  gold.  The  value 
of  both  the  above  was  one  thousand  dollars.  Each  bore  the  inscrip- 
tion, "  John  B.  and  Mary  E.  Gough,  Worcester,  November  24,  1868; 
from  neighbors  and  friends."  Presented  on  behalf  of  the  donors  by 
Hon.  Henry  Chapin  of  Worcester. 

An  elegant  and  costly  bronze  clock,  of  beautiful  and  elaborate  de- 
sign and  finish, — the  gift  of  some  of  Mr.  Gough 's  Boston  friends,  pre- 
sented by  Mr.  B.  W.  Williams  of  Jamaica  Plain,  on  behalf  of  the 
donors,  whose  names  were  signed  to  an  address,  elegantly  written  by 
an  expert,  and  framed. 

Silver  fruit-dish  from  Lecture  Committee  of  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association  of  Philadelphia. 

Wycliffe's  version  of  the  Bible,  Oxford  Press,  from  faculty  and 
students  in  Phillip's  Academy,  Andover,  Mass. 

Set  of  silver  ice-cream  spoons  and  ladle,  from  Newark  Clayonian 
Society. 

Two  silver  flower- vases  from  Berlin  (Mass.)  Sabbath  School. 

Flowers,  in  water-colors,  from  Miss  Martha  Congdon  of  New  Bed- 
ford, Mass. 

Gold  watch  from  Chicago  friends,  accompanied  by  a  letter. 

Silver  nut-dish,' from  Shrewsbury  (Mass.)  Monumental  Association. 

Rare  and  beautiful  photograph  of  a  Roman  procession,  from  L.  G. 
Hopkins,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Silver  grape-shears,  from  Mr.  and  Mrs.  L.  K.  Sheffield,  Dubuque, 
Iowa. 

Stand  of  exquisite  wax  water-lilies,  from  Mrs.  Richard  Storrs  of 
New  York. 

Silver  flower-vases,  from  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Fairfield,  Hudson,  N.  Y. 

Silver  nut-dish,  from  Mr.  and  Mrs.  T.  A.  Newton,  Rochester,  N.  Y., 
with  velvet  and  gilt  letter-rack. 

Silver  flower-vase,  from  Miss  Anna  E.  Dickinson  of  Philadelphia. 

Silver  butter-knives,  from  Rev.  George  H.  Duffield  and  lady  of 
Galesburg,  111. 

Silver  napkin-rings,  from  Mr.  Alanson  Long  of  Boston. 


542     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

Goethe  Gallery  of  Photographs,  from  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dudley  Wil- 
liams of  Jamaica  Plain. 

Autograph  book,  from  Charles  A.  Clapp  of  Boston. 

Hanging  basket,  from  Mrs.  Schwartz  of  Boston. 

Choice  bouquet,  from  Mrs.  Mackintosh  of  Montreal. 

Silver  card-vase,  from  friends  in  Berlin,  Mass, 

Silver  salt-cellars  and  spoons,  from  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dwight  of  Ypsi- 
lanti,  Mich. 

Set  of  ice-cream  spoons  and  ladle,  from  W.  H.  Piper  &  Co.  of  Boston. 

Silver  and  glass  flower-stand,  from  Rev.  George  H.  Gould  and  wife 
of  Hartford,  Conn. 

Rare  old  coin,  from  W.  H.  Dikeman  of  New  York. 

Silver  center-piece,  for  fruit  and  flowers,  from  Mr.  B.  W.  Williams 
and  Mr.  James  H.  Roberts  of  Boston. 

Two  silver  cups,  which,  when  united,  form  a  silver  egg, — from  Hon. 
Ginery  Twitchell. 

A  superb  watch-guard,  and  a  chain  and  brooch  of  tortoise-shell  inlaid 
with  gold, — manufactured  and  presented  by  Hon.  Milo  Hildreth  of 
Northborough,  Mass. 

Beautiful  French  engraving  of  "The  chess-players,"  from  Mr.  Al- 
bert Goodman,  Surrey,  England. 

Large  volume  of  very  fine  photographs  of  Windsor  Great  Park  and 
Forest. 

A  large  volume  in  water-colors,  of  the  peaks  and  valleys  of  the  Alps. 

A  collection  of  etchings  by  the  Etching  Club. 

A  very  unique  and  artistic  volume  entitled  "The  Golden  Calendar." 

The  last  four  volumes  were  from  Mr.  Potto  Brown, 
Mr.  George  William  Brown,  and  Mr.  Bateman  Brown, 
of  Houghton,  Huntingdonshire,  England,  and  Mr. 
Henry  Goodman,  St.  Ives,  Huntingdonshire,  England. 
These  gifts  were  very  costly ;  and  though  we  pack 
and  store  them  for  safe-keeping — not  deeming  it  de- 
sirable to  bring  them  into  common  use, — they  are, 
and  will  remain  to  those  who  come  after  us,  as  testi- 
monials of  love  and  good  will,  more  valuable  than 
rubies. 

In  concluding  this  notice  of  one  of  the  most  de- 


AUTOBIOGEAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     543 

lightful  occasions  of  my  life,  I  insert  the  closing  re- 
marks in  my  speech,  and  Mrs.  Gough's  letter  to  the 
committee : 

And  now  I  must  be  permitted  to  say,  how  gratifying  it  is  to  me  on 
this  occasion,  to  be  surrounded  by  so  many  of  my  Worcester  friends. 
You  knew  me,  many  of  you,  in  the  darkest  days  of  my  life, — in  my 
poverty  and  obscurity.  You  have  seen  me  among  you,  going  in  and 
coming  out  before  you  these  many  years.  In  Worcester  I  signed  the 
pledge;  in  Worcester  I  was  married;  in  Worcester  I  have  lived  and 
been  known  so  long ;  and  it  is  particularly  gratifying  for  me  to  know 
that  you  who  know  me  best  should  have  seen  fit  to  offer  me  this  splen- 
did testimonial  of  your  esteem  and  confidence.  To  you,  and  to  all  my 
dear  friends  present,  I  would  say,  may  God  bless  you,  and  pour  into 
your  own  hearts  abundantly  the  riches  of  His  grace  and  favor,  and 
repay  you  ten-fold  for  all  your  kindness  to  me  and  mine!  I  say  no 
more.  Words — thoughts — all  fail  me,  except  the  consciousness  of 
your  generous  kindness,  —  and  that  will  ever  abide  to  help  and 
strengthen  me  in  the  coming  duties  and  conflicts  of  life. 

The  following  is  the  letter  from  Mrs.  John  B.  Gough 
"  to  the  Committee  having  charge  of  the  Arrange- 
ments for  the  «  Silver  Wedding  "  on  the  24th  of  No- 
vember : 

HILLSIDE,  November  28,  1868. 

Gentlemen, — As  I  return  to  the  accustomed  quiet  of  our  home  again, 
after  the  stir  and  anticipation  of  our  "silver  wedding"  day,  and  live 
over  in  memory  the  brightness  of  that  event,  I  feel  that  we  owe  you  no 
common  thanks,  for  "pleasures  of  memory"  beyond  our  thought,  and 
for  organizing  an  opportunity  for  such  beautiful  expressions  of  good- 
will as  met  us  then. 

Whenever  we  look  over  the  receding  years,  it  will  henceforth  always 
be  that  we  must  do  so  through  that  bright  day  in  November  1868,  when 
yourselves  and  so  many  others  recognized  so  delightfully  both  the  toils 
and  the  results  of  those  vanished  years. 

It  has  given  fresh  impulse  to  our  grateful  remembrance  of  the  God 
and  Saviour  who  has  led  us  so  lovingly  all  the  way ;  and  we  do  not  for- 
get that  He  has  ordered,  that  though  a  cool  draught  from  a  way-side 
spring  does  not  release  from  all  sense  of  a  toilsome  path,  it  does  so  refresh 
as  to  strengthen  for  the  "hill  difficulty"  of  the  future. 


544     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

In  all  the  kind  things  said  and  done  that  day  for  myself  personally, 
there  was  one  omission,  and  that,  inevitable  under  the  circumstances. 
In  the  recognition  of  my  husband's  work  and  life  in  the  past  twenty-five 
years,  none  but  myself  could  have  said  how  much  I  am  indebted  for 
whatever  of  success  has  been  my  own  in  our  united  lives  to  the  gener- 
ous trust  and  confidence,  the  unfailing  regard,  that  have  always  recog- 
nized our  interests  as  one,  which  has  left  head  and  hands  so  free — made 
such  a  thing  as  a  struggle  for  "rights"  so  unnecessary — and  which  has 
rejoiced  in  such  fruitage  of  that  trust  as  makes  the  bond  that  binds  us 
together  so  much  stronger  than  twenty-five  years  ago,  while  losing  not 
the  green  and  freshness  of  its  earlier  time. 

With  heartfelt  thanks  for  all  the  wide  and  substantial  sympathy  ex- 
pressed on  that  occasion,  and  with  the  hope  that  the  truest  peace  may 
always  abide  in  the  homes  represented  at  Hillside  on  that  day,  I  am, 
gentlemen,  very  gratefully  yours,  MARY  E.  GOUGH. 

From  accurate  accounts  kept  I  find  that  from  May 
14,  1843,  to  June  1,  1869, 1  have  delivered  six  thou- 
sand and  sixty-four  public  addresses,  and  traveled  two 
hundred  and  seventy-two  thousand  two  hundred  and 
thirty-five  miles,  independent  of  all  traveling  for 
pleasure,  or  on  occasions  not  connected  with  my  work. 
Of  the  addresses,  four  hundred  and  forty-three  were 
delivered  gratuitously.  There  were  up  to  1853 — : 
when  I  first  went  to  England — two  hundred  and  fif- 
teen thousand  one  hundred  and  seventy-nine  names 
obtained  to  the  pledge.  I  have  spoken  in  State 
Prisons  in  New  Hampshire,  Massachusetts,  Connecti- 
cut, and  New  York ;  penitentiaries,  reform  schools, 
and  houses  of  correction,  at  Blackwell's  Island,  N.  Y., 
Baltimore,  Md.,  Detroit,  Mich.,  Worcester  and  West- 
boro,  Mass.,  and  Meriden,  Conn. ;  to  the  deaf  and 
dumb  and  blind,  in  Hartford,  Conn.,  Flint,  Mich.,  and 
other  places. 

Among  the  most  interesting  occasions  in  my  whole 
work  have  been  those  among  the  young  men  stu- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHX  B.  GOUGH.     545 

dents  in  our  universities.  Though  not  an  educated 
man,  these  audiences  have  been  among  the  most 
generous  and  courteous.  I  have  ever  been  received 
by  them  with  kindness,  and  I  am  impelled  to  state 
here,  that  I  have  spoken  at  the  request  of  the  students 
at  Yale  and  Middletown,  Ct.,  Amherst  and  Williams- 
town,  Mass.,  Brown,  R.  L,  Carlisle,  Pa.,  Oberlin  and 
Oxford,  Ohio,  Ann  Arbor  and  Albion,  Mich.,  in  this 
country ;  and  Edinburgh  University,  and  New  Col- 
lege, Scotland. 

One  word  about  the  book.  Owing  to  a  miscalcula- 
tion of  the  amount  required,  I  had  prepared  much 
more  than  was  needed,  and  it  was  deemed  necessary 
to  cancel  some  portions — which  may  excuse  some 
awkward  and  sudden  breaks  in  the- narrative,  and  the 
hurried  conclusion. 

It  has  been  constantly  asserted  that  the  Autobiog- 
raphy published  in  1845,  was  not  written  by  me.  I 
state  here  the  facts.  John  Ross  Dix,  then  calling 
himself  John  Dix  Ross,  was  an  inmate  of  my  family, 
and  I,  pacing  the  room,  dictated  to  him,  he  being  a 
good  short-hand  writer.  When  he  had  copied  it  out, 
we  read  it  together  and  made  alterations,  and  I  wish 
to  say  that,  excepting  only  three,  or,  at  most,  four 
instances,  my  language,  not  his,  was  used. 

In  this  work,  I  have  permitted  no  one  to  revise  it 
or  add  to  it.  I  have  written  it,  revised  it,  looked 
over  the  proof,  and,  such  as  it  is,  it  is  mine.  Not 
much  to  boast  of.  Much  has  been  omitted  that  might 
have  been  retained,  and  perhaps  some  things  inserted 
that  might  as  well  have  been  left  out;  but  I  have 
used  my  judgment  as  far  as  my  limitation  of  space 

permitted.     I  expect,  and  shall  gain,  no  fame  as  an 
34 


546     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

author.  Some  may  not  think  so  well  of  me  for  these 
revelations ;  but  the  regard  of  my  true  friends  will 
not  be  lessened  by  a  simple  narrative  of  facts. 

Though  this  record  covers  all  the  years  of  our  civil 
war,  I  have  not  alluded  to  it.  There  are  so  many 
histories  of  the  war,  that  I  can  say  .nothing  new ;  but 
my  whole  heart's  sympathies  were  in  the  struggle  for 
our  national  existence,  and  I  did  what  I  could,  and 
mean  to  do  what  I  can  in  aid  of  our  noble  soldiers 
who  fought  and  suffered  for  the  dear  old  flag,  and  the 
perpetuity  of  our  Union. 

While  memory  serves  me,  I  shall  never  lose  out  of 
it  those  years,  so  full  of  thrilling  interest,  from  the 
first  cry  of  "  the  bombardment  of  Fort  Sumter,"  that 
woke  the  echoes  in  the  silent  streets  at  midnight. 
Then  followed  the  running  to  and  fro,  and  men's 
voices  were  heard  like  the  low  muttering  of  the 
coming  storm.  How  I  live  over  and  over  again  that 
first  dreadful,  half-waked  sense  of  the  nation  being 
suddenly  called  to  suffering  and  sacrifice.  Boys 
seemed  to  have  become  men,  and  men  more  manly, 
in  a  night.  Then  came  the  tramp  of  armed  men,  not 
for  review  but  for  service,  stern,  hard  service.  How 
men  sung  "Glory,  Hallelujah !"  in  the  streets  as  they 
marched,  while  women  wept !  How  vivid  is  the  re- 
membrance of  the  sleepless  nights,  while  our  army 
iseemed  like  endangered  absentees  from  home, — of  the 
first  news  of  battle — then  of  disaster — the  terrible 
days  in  the  Chickahominy — the  Wilderness — the  sus- 
pense about  Petersburg — the  defeats  that  were  but 
steps  to  victory — hope  and  fear  alternating — then 
how  the  horizon  grew  brighter  as  we  came  to  the 
Emancipation  Proclamation; — and  through  all  this, 


AUTOBIOGKAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     547 

the  long  lines  of  hospitals  all  over  the  land  full  of  suf- 
fering, and  not  seldom,  too,  of  glory,  not  of  this  world 
— the  millions  in  homes  where  sorrow  came  and 
stayed — the  uncounted  heroisms — the  shameful  defec- 
tions, and  the  quiet,  watchful,  trusting  attitude  of  the 
race  in  our  midst,  on  either  side  of  which  such  powers 
were  arrayed  and  over  whose  rights  this  long  conflict 
really  raged;  while  the  wrhole  nation  was  learning  "to 
suffer  and  be  strong." 

Not  until  many  years  of  peace,  shall  we  be  able  to 
estimate  truly  the  times  when  every  ear  was  strained 
to  catch  tidings  from  every  breeze,  and  the  years 
that  were  so  full  of  the  most  sublime  history. 

When  my  wife's  younger  brother  died,  he  left  his 
widow  with  six  children,  the  eldest  a  boy  ten  years 
of  age,  the  others  girls — the  youngest  a  mere  babe. 
We  at  once  took  into  our  family  the  two  elder  girls ; 
after  two  years,  the  boy  and  two  other  girls,  leaving 
the  youngest  with  her  mother.  On  January  13, 1868, 
Nannie,  the  eldest  girl,  died,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  after 
a  long  and  tedious  illness.  She  had  grown  to  be  a 
lovely  character,  and  the  loss  was  keenly  felt. 

I  insert  here  part  of  a  letter  written  to  me  by  my 

wife : 

HILLSIDE,  January  13th,  1869. 

My  Dear  Husband, — I  have  such  a  heart-ache  to  see  you  to-night. 
Hillside  has  a  shadow  on  it/  for  our  dear  Nannie  has  gone  home  to  the 
better  land.  This  morning  as  the  sunlight  touched  our  hill,  her  spirit 
went,  I  doubt  not,  to  the  city. that  has  "no  need  of  the  sun."  I  was 
with  her,  after  I  wrote  the  letter  to  you  this  morning,  for  an  hour  before 
I  saw  any  reason  to  be  uneasy  about  her — indeed  until  after  four  this 
morning.  At  five  I  was  troubled  at  the  rattling  breath.  I  did  every- 
thing I  could  think  of  for  her,  but  the  struggle,  and  nervous  restless- 
ness, became  so  great  that  I  called  Mrs.  Knox  at  half-past  five.  We 
did  everything  we  could  think  of  for  her.  Then  I  stepped  to  Oscar's 


548     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH. 

door,  and  asked  him  to  go  for  the  doctor.  He  was  up  and  away  very 
quickly.  Even  then  I  did  not  know  it  was  death ;  but  the  nervous 
distress — panting  for  breath — clammy  brow,  and  full,  bright,  solemn 
light  in  her  eyes — made  our  hearts  quake,  as  if  our  fears  were  all  to  be 
realized.  One  by  one  the  dear  children  came  in.  Mary  Dean  came, 
then  Agnes.  We  said  in  her  ear  the  sweet  promises  of  the  Bible — the 
words  of  hymns  that  she  knew — and  "you  do  love  and  trust  Jesus, 
dear  Nannie?"  She  gave  assent  as  strongly  as  she  could  by  a  gesture. 
The  breath  grew  shorter — the  sweet  eyes  looked  steadfastly  upward — 
the  expression  was,  the  awe  and  surprise  of  a  lowly  spirit — that  it  had 
conquered.  The  lines  of  the  face  grew  noble,  as  the  brow  took  on  its 
marble  hue — the  eyelids  the  snowy  tinge — the  color  faded  from  the 
cheek — and  our  darling  Nannie  was  with  the  angels. 

The  children  kissed  her,  one  by  one,  just  before  she  was  gone,  and 
we  think  she  knew  it — but  only  by  a  movement  and  expression  of  the 
eye.  We  all  wept  together,  and  said  "how  sorry  dear  Uncle  John 
would  be  to  hear  dear  Nannie  had  gone."  I  was  so  sorry  Oscar  could 
not  be  here — he  had  not  returned  from  the  doctor's.  When  he  did  ar- 
rive he  was  so  overcome,  and  could  not  see  her  for  some  time ;  but 
when  he  did,  none  shed  more  scalding  tears  than  he.  You  know  what 
a  sister  she  was  to  him.  The  doctor  soon  came,  and  we  felt  again  that 
he  was  the  friend  as  well  as  physician,  as  the  tears  rained  down  his  face, 
while  he  laid  his  hand  on  her  white  brow.  He  has  shown  that  he 
greatly  cared  for  and  respected  Nannie  all  along. 

Your  precious  letter  from  Bloomington  came  two  hours  after  Nannie 
had  gone,  with  its  loving  messages  to  her,  and  the  gift  of  the  picture. 
How  we  did  wish  it  had  come  on  Saturday — it  would  have  pleased  her 
so  much.  But  how  much  we  have  to  be  thankful  for,  in  the  merciful 
shortness  of  the  passage  over  the  last  river — in  the  even  beauty  of  her 
character — its  violet  fragrance — growing  ever  since  that  testimony  four 
years  ago,  that  "she  belonged  to  Christ  and  she  loved  Him."  I  have 
had  many  anxious  thoughts  for  her  future  contact  with  the  world;  be- 
cause, with  all  her  modest,  steadfast  courage  and  loyalty  to  right,  she 
had  such  a  capacity  to  suffer  under  disapproval.  But  I  need  not  have 
taken  thought  for  this.  The  Master  she  loved,  knew  what  the  service 
was  to  which  He  was  calling  her. 

It  will  be  five  days  before  you  can  hear  of  this.  I  have  longed  for 
your  loving  presence  in  our  sorrow,  more  than  I  can  tell ;  but  it  cannot 
be.  With  kindest  love  from  all  to  dear  Uncle  John,  I  am  yours  most 
affectionately,  MARY  E.  GOUGH. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH.  549 

The  other  children  are  with  us.  The  boy,  now 
eighteen  years  of  age,  is  in  the  Pennsylvania  Military 
Academy,  at  Chester.  Since  1860,  seven  children 
have  been  members  of  our  family ;  so  if  children  are 
sunbeams,  our  home  has  been  bright  with  them. 

Among  the  results  of  my  public  life  most  valuable 
and  appreciated  are  the  pleasant  homes  I  have  found 
in  this  country  and  Great  Britain;  the  close  friend- 
ships formed;  the  association  with  some  of  the  best 
and  noblest;  and  the  pleasant  intercourse  with  so 
many  of  the  wise  and  the  good; — this,  next  to  the 
fact  that  I  may  have  been  able,  by  God's  blessing,  to 
accomplish  something  towards  the  amelioration-  of 
the  condition  of  the  poor  and  degraded,  the  up-build- 
ing of  the  cause  of  the  Master,  and  the  glory  of  God 
— lias  been  to  me  a  source  of  the  highest  gratifica- 
tion. I  could  fill  page  after  page  with  the  records  of 
kindness  received  in  the  homes  where  I  have  ever 
found  a  welcome.  The  recollection  of  them  crowds 
upon  me.  How,  when  I  was  with  my  wife  at  a  hotel 
in  Utica,  N.  Y.,  William  D.  Hamlin  called  on  us,  and 
took  us  at  once  to  his  pleasant  home,  and  since  that 
time — 1844 — we  have  been  constantly  entertained 
by  them.  J.  W.  Fairfield,  with  his  wife,  since  gone 
home,  made  our  visits  to  Hudson,  N.  Y.,  delightful, 
and  we  anticipate  with  pleasure  the  welcome  always 
afforded  us  by  him,  his  son  George,  and  his  estimable 
wife,  "Susie."  At  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  T.  A.  Newton  and 
his  wife  have  for  years  opened  their  house,  and  better 
still,  their  hearts  to  us.  In  New  York,  a  pleasant 
and  hospitable  home  always  for  us  at  W.  H.  Dike- 
man's,  who,  in  the  darkest  hours  of  my  experience 
was  one  of  the  true,  unflinching  friends.  In  Adrian, 


550  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF   JOHN   B.  GOTJGH. 

Mich.,  I  have  been  nursed  in  sickness  at  the  house  of 
Mr.  Angell,  where  I  always  found  a  welcome.  In 
Philadelphia,  1425  Chestnut  Street  has  been  our 
resting-place  and  home  for  many  years;  and  by  our 
old  friend  of  twenty-five  years  standing,  Leonard 
Jewell,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  H.  Reed,  we  have  always 
been  welcomed  with  cordiality  and  Christian  affec- 
tion. In  Detroit,  Hon.  C.  I.  Walker,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  P. 
E.  Curtis,  and  the  charming  family  of  Philo  Parsons, 
greet  us  with  affection.  My  dear  friends,  George 
Duffield  and  wife,  have  made  many  a  dreary  winter's 
day  bright  and  sunny  in  their  hospitable  home,  both 
in  Adrian  and  Galesburg.  If  I  continue  the  record 
to  the  -fend  of  the  book,  I  can  but  begin  to  number 
them ;  and  in  reviewing  the  past,  I  am  overwhelmed, 
and  can  only  pray  for  those  recorded,  and  for  all  who 
have  shown  me  kindness.  May  the  Master  reward 
them  a  thousand-fold,  for  all  the  favor  shown  to  me 
and  mine  in  the  years  by-gone. 

I  would  recall  the  kindness  with  which  I  have  been 
treated  by  the  public  press;  and  the  courtesy  of  my 
fellow-laborers  in  the  lecture  field — especially  Wen- 
dell Phillips,  G.  W.  Curtis,  Theodore  Tilton,  and  the 
eloquent  Anna  E.  Dickinson,  whom  I  had  the  honor 
to  entertain  for  a  few  days  at  my  house.  I  hold  her 
in  high  esteem,  not  only  for  her  power  as  a  public 
speaker,  but  as  a  noble  woman,  of  whose  friendship  I 
am  proud. 

On  Tuesday,  April  3d,  1866,  George  Gladwin,  who 
had  resided  with  us  since  his  return  from  England  a 
year  before,  was  married  at  our  house  to  Mary  Booth, 
who  had  been  a  member  of  our  family  for  ten  years. 
They  now  reside  in  Worcester,  Professor  Gladwin  oc- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  B.  GOUGH.     551 

cupying  a  high  position  as  an  artist,  having  achieved 
a  reputation  as  a  teacher  of  drawing,  inferior  to  none. 
They  are  "one  of  us"  yet,  and  are  often  our  guests. 
Thus  surrounded  by  friends,  the  children  growing 
up  I  trust  to  be  honorable  and  useful ;  my  brother, 
who  came  to  me  in  1848,  five  years  of  age,  now  a 
Christian  young  man;  my  nephew  striving  to  serve 
the  Master;  my  sister  and  her  three  sons  prosperous; 
my  wife  spared  to  me  these  twenty -five  years ;  my 
health  continued,  with  all  my  work  and  exposure ; 
testimonials  from  friends,  and  loving  tokens,  crowding 
my  home ;  hundreds  of  homes  where  I  ever  find  a 
cordial  welcome ;  rejoicing  in  the  respect,  esteem, 
and  affection  of  so  many  who  love  me  ;  hidden  as  I 
have  been  in  "His  pavilion  from  the  strife  of  tongues." 
And  now  for  years,  "  He  hath  caused  even  my  ene- 
mies to  be  at  peace  with  me."  "The  lines  have  fallen 
unto  me  in  pleasant  places ;  yea,  I  have  a  goodly 
heritage;"  "my  cup  runneth  over."  I  can  adopt  the 
words  of  the  song  written  by  William  B.  Tappan,  of 
Boston,  on  the  second  anniversary  of  my  signing  the 
pledge : 

I  was  tossed  by  the  winds  on  a  treacherous  wave ; 
Above  me  was  peril,  beneath  me  a  grave ; 
The  sky,  to  my  earnest  enquiry,  was  dark ; 
The  storm  in  a  deluge  came  down  on  my  bark ! 
How  fearful !  to  drive  on  a  horrible  shore, 
Where  breakers  of  Ruin  eternally  roar. 

0,  Mercy !  to  wreck  in  the  morning  of  days, — 
To  die  when  life  dazzles  with  changeable  rays, — 
To  sink  as  the  groveling  and  vile  of  the  ship, 
The  rose  on  my  cheek,  and  the  dew  on  my  lip — 
And  fling,  as  a  bauble,  my  soul  to  the  heaps, 
That  glisten  and  mock  from  the  caves  of  the  deeps. 


552 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF   JOHN   B.  GOUGH. 


0,  no !  for  a  STAR  trembles  out  in  the  sky, 
The  shrieks  of  the  ocean  complainingly  die, 
The  gales  that  I  covet  blow  fresh  from  the  shore, 
Where  breakers  of  Ruin  eternally  roar ; 
Each  sail  presses  homeward — all  praises  to  Thee 
Whose  word  in  that  hour  hushed  tempest  and  sea ! 

If  there  is  a  man  on  the  face  of  the  earth  who  has 
cause  for  deep  and  humble  gratitude,  and  who  can 
sing  with  the  Psalmist, — "  Praise  the  Lord,  0  my  soul ! 
while  I  live  will  I  praise  the  Lord ;  I  will  sing  praises 
to  my  God  while  I  have  any  being," — I  am  that  man. 


